Mickey Arthur heading to Derbyshire after his Sri Lanka stint

Derbyshire have made an audacious bid to recruit Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur as their new head of cricket.

Arthur, 53, is out of contract with the Sri Lankan board next month and is the midlands county’s first choice to succeed Zimbabwean Dave Houghton, who stepped down at the end of the 2021 season. 

Arthur has extensive experience on the international circuit as head coach of his native South Africa, Australia and Pakisran prior to taking his current post in December 2019.

Although a youthful Sri Lanka side failed to make the semi-finals of this Twenty20 World Cup, and play their final match of the tournament versus West Indies on Thursday, they have won plaudits for their freedom of expression under Arthur, who previously guided Pakistan to Champions Trophy success as well as the number one ranking in both Test and T20 cricket

However, after the best part of 16 years on the international circuit, he is known to be open to a county job as his next career move.

Middlesex are also looking for a new director of cricket after dispensing with Stuart Law last month.

Derbyshire reached Twenty20 finals day under Houghton's stewardship in 2019 but won just six matches across all competitions last summer, the fewest by any county, and have since lost key all-rounder Matt Critchley to Essex. 

-DailyMail.