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- Sri Lanka’s coach Mickey Arthur is looking forward to “hitting the horns” with compatriot Mark Boucher.
- The Proteas host Sri Lanka for a two-match test series with the first test starting Saturday in Pretoria.
- Arthur, who trained the Proteas from 2005 to 2010, believes his local knowledge could bode well for tourists.
Sri Lankan coach Mickey arthur enjoy the prospect of “marrying” your compatriot Mark Boucher before their two-game test series against the Proteas.
Arthur began his illustrious career as an international coach when he coached South Africa from 2005 to 2010.
Boucher was one of the full senior members on the side of Arthur Proteas, who was then captained by Graeme Smith.
Now, the South African duo will be looking to fight each other before Saturday’s first test at SuperSport Park, Centurion.
Arthur acknowledged to reporters Monday that he hopes to face Boucher and praised his “aggressive” style.
“Mark Boucher and I go back a lot and I’m looking forward to facing him,” said Arthur, who also coached Pakistan.
“Boucher was an aggressive player and I’m sure he will also be an aggressive coach. I think South Africa will play good aggressive, tough cricket and it will be up to us to match him.”
Arthur believes that his knowledge of the conditions in South Africa could bode well for the visitors.
“There is a familiarity to me now when I walk onto the grounds when I say, ‘Africa never leaves you,'” he said.
“I know the conditions and I know the psyche of the South Africans and I will know how they will attack us. That knowledge of the conditions will hopefully be of great benefit to us.”
In February last year, Sri Lanka made history by becoming the first team from the subcontinent to score a series victory (2-0) off the South African shores.
Arthur, who was appointed Sri Lanka’s head coach in December last year, hopes to recreate those good memories and improve with each series.
“Conditions are going to be totally different than Sri Lanka was then, but I took a look at Centurion ground this morning and I hope it is a good cricket ground,” said Arthur.
“This South African series for us is huge, the last time Sri Lanka was here they won and we would love to repeat it.
“We want to create some coherence around the teams and the roles, so each series is very important to us.
“If you play well and get some wins down the line, regardless of the conditions, you gain confidence and faith, which is very powerful within a playing group,” added Arthur.
The game at SuperSport Park on Saturday starts at 10:00.
