LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has hired former New Zealand Test cricketer Grant Bradburn as national team fielding coach in place of Australia’s Steve Rixon.

“The PCB has appointed Grant Bradburn as fielding coach of Pakistan team on a full-time basis for a period of three years (subject to review). Bradburn will join the team in the UAE for the 2018 Asia Cup,” read an official PCB press release on Thursday.

Bradburn’s is the first appointment made by newly-elected PCB chairman Ehsan Mani after taking the charge last Tuesday. Rixon, a former Test cricketer, has left the Pakistan job citing family commitments.

The 52-year-old Brad­burn, an off-spinning all-rounder, played seven Tests and 11 ODIs for New Zealand from 1990 to 2001. He made his Test debut against Pakistan at National Stadium Karachi on New Zealand’s tour of 1990. Later on the same tour, Bradburn featured in his first ODI at Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Stadium. Interes­tingly, Bradburn played his last Test also against Pakis­tan at Hamilton’s Seddon Park in 2001. Before joining the Pak­is­tan team as coach, he was the coach of Scotland team.

The newly appointed fielding coach said, “It is a great honour to be joining Pakistan cricket team and their high-quality coaching staff. I have seen the progress that has been made under Mickey Arthur and the opportunity to work with a leading full member team on the rise in world cricket, is a real privilege.

“Against Scotland in June, we saw the impressive chan­ges that have been instilled, noticeably with the physical stature and fielding abilities of Pakistan’s players. I look forward to adding my experience to the players and staff, while being an integral part of the exciting and dominant team, team Pakistan is becoming,” Bradburn added in his statement.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2018