PCB parts ways with Mickey Arthur, two other support staff

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to amicably part ways with its foreign coaches Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick after the senior team's poor run of form in recent times, including a forgettable World Cup campaign.

A senior official of the board said on Tuesday that PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and chief operating officer Salman Naseer would negotiate a final settlement with the trio.

The three who were part of the Pakistan team management during the Asia Cup and World Cup decided to take vacations after they returned to Lahore from India and were informed their services were no longer required with the national team.

The three were told that instead the PCB had decided they will work at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) as it appointed Mohammad Hafeez as director of the Pakistan team and new set of coaches.

But, apparently, the board found out that in the contracts of the three there was no clause giving them the right to force the trio to work at the NCA permanently as they had signed up to work with the Pakistan team.

"After some consultations since Mickey is already with Derbyshire and Puttick and Bradburn have found new assignments it was decided to end the matter amicably and release them from their contracts," the official said.

He conceded the board would be paying some months' salaries as compensation to the trio.

He also confirmed that Puttick, the batting coach, had informed the PCB about his new assignment with Afghanistan before accepting the contract.

Similarly, Bradburn has also informed the PCB that English county, Glamorgan, want him to work as their head coach.

Pakistan were whitewashed 3-0 in Australia despite having a new team director and coaches.

Arthur, Puttick and Bradburn were all appointed by the PCB during the tenure of the last chairman of the cricket management committee, Najam Sethi.