Mickey Arthur leaves on an emotional note

Coach Mickey Arthur bids farewell to his fans at the end of the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies at Galle yesterday

Sri Lanka’s popular head coach Mickey Arthur ended his two-year contract with Sri Lanka Cricket on an emotional note, saying “the island is very special to me and I will be back very soon”.

The Lankan cricket team ensured that Arthur, who had been a well-liked figure, went off on a high note by winning the second Test against West Indies by 147 runs yesterday, and with it, clinching the two-match series 2-0.

Arthur said that it was “massively” important to finish on a high note and added, “It’s been a wonderful journey, I loved every minute of it, I get quite emotional about it. It’s been a tough two years but I know that I am leaving the team and everybody in far better shape than when I got here. It’s been tough and incredibly rewarding and I loved every minute of living in Sri Lanka.”

“The best memory for me is seeing players develop and seeing success,” said Arthur. “Watching Dimuth Karunaratne go to no. 7 in the world and become a prolific Test match cricketer, watching our young players develop, watching our white ball team’s transition, watching players like Wanindu (Hasaranga), Charith (Asalanka), Pathum (Nissanka), and Dhananjaya de Silva, there are so many I can mention in terms of how they have improved so much just with some backing and with some confidence. Going back two years, it was tough because of the challenges of the world. Since I started in Sri Lanka, I haven’t seen my daughter since November 2019, but that was part of the journey.”

Arthur said that there is nothing more rewarding for a coach than to watch the players play and see them having good performances.

“I’ve been incredibly blessed but I know that these young guys, if they are backed and if they are given the confidence and the consistency in terms of selection, will give a lot of good performances down the line for Sri Lanka cricket going forward.” (ST)