SYDNEY: Steve Rixon has launched a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), accusing them of being “stupid” and a “lack of professionalism”, after quitting his post as the country’s fielding coach.

According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, Rixon is furious with his treatment by the PCB, which he claims were late with payments and disorganised.

Rixon, a former Australian Test wicket-keeper, joined Pakistan team’s coaching staff in 2016 and was credited by head coach Mickey Arthur with significantly improving Pakistan’s standards in the field.

Rixon’s departure from the coaching set-up is a blow for Pakistan leading into next month’s two-Test series against a new-look Australia in the UAE.

Pakistan’s catching has received criticism during the current Asia Cup tournament in which Sarfraz Ahmed and his men failed to qualify for the final against India after losing to Bangladesh in a Super Four stage game by 37 runs in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night. Earlier during the continental event, Pakistan quitting thrashed by arch-rivals India twice and scraped home with three balls to spare against Afghanistan in a Super Four stage match.

Rixon’s contract expired at the end of June but he chose not to sign a new deal due to personal reasons as he wanted to spend more time with his family, according to a media report citing an anonymous senior official in the PCB. That, however, was not the case with Rixon.

“They didn’t pay subsidiary staff on time. Everyone was meant to go to the World Cup, which would be the sensible thing to do but not unless they improved their act,” Rixon told Fairfax Media. “[I told them], ‘you guys will make me angrier and angrier, and I don’t need it.’ I said ‘thanks, but no thanks’.”

Former South Australia coach Darren Berry was also offered the role but declined to spend more time with his family.

Rixon said he had a strong working relationship with Arthur, for whom he was also an assistant when the South African was at the helm with the Australian team. His gripe is not with his former coaching colleagues or the players but with the administration staff at the PCB.

“Let’s make sure one thing is clear, the players and the coaches so forth no problems at all, thoroughly enjoyed my time,” Rixon said. “Seriously, the PCB not being a professional unit and doing things they should. If they want outsiders to the country doing the job make sure you look after them.

“Hence they lost myself – they’re losing good people because of their stupidity and lack of professionalism. It’s no skin off my nose. Shame because I enjoy the players and saw some fantastic things there.”

Arthur has placed an emphasis on improving Pakistan’s fielding, an area the team has not been traditionally strong in. He described Rixon as a “tough taskmaster”.

“What Steve did incredibly well was, he didn’t miss anything,” Arthur said during an interview in August. “He watched the game closely, and if something happened in the game he didn’t like, that player would be out the next day at the next training session, working on that, whether it be a throwing technique, diving technique or catching technique, and doing some individual work with him.

“Steve could tell the number of ones or twos saved. He always had a rubbish bin – a misfield or an overthrow would go in there, and at the end of that game, in our debrief, we would look at our rubbish bin and see how full it was.”

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2018