Arthur calls for Pakistan to see off emboldened Aussies

Cricket365
October 13, 2018

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur feels that Australia will be a tricky prospect after they secured a morale-boosting draw in the first Test of the series in Dubai.

Arthur expects Australia to be aggressive in the second Test with the series on the line but is confident that his side possess the quality to get past them.

“Of course Australia will be dangerous after the fight they put up, no doubt about that,” said Arthur, Pakistan’s South African coach. “But I am confident that we are playing good enough cricket and we will come harder.

“For me, it was really disappointing that we did not cross the line. But the good thing for us is that it has hurt the players as if we have lost, and that for me is a good sign. It shows that the boys are getting mentally tough and maturing and do not settle for second best any more.

“That culture we want to create is getting through to our players and we will be raring to go in the second Test.”

'Australia will be dangerous after the fight they put up' â???? Arthur

Arthur was left to rue a poor bowling display from Pakistan in the second innings after they had bowled and batted well to be in a position of strength coming into day five.

“We certainly got some good runs in the first innings, golden runs as there were some good knocks,” said Arthur. “We then bowled well in the first innings but not very good in the second innings on a fifth-day pitch.

“I think we have got to hand it to them – on a day five wicket with Yasir Shah and (Mohammad) Abbas, two world-class bowlers in the attack, we backed ourselves to win the Test. We can win nine times out of ten on a fifth-day pitch, but Khawaja played exceptionally well and Tim Paine played pretty well too and took away the game.”

The second Test will begin in Abu Dhabi on 16 October.