WELLINGTON: Former South Africa, Australia and Pakistan cricket coach Mickey Arthur has been released from his short-term Twenty20 contract with New Zealand side Central Districts to pursue another job, the first-class side said on Thursday.

Specialist cricket website ESPN Cricinfo said this month that Sri Lanka Cricket were in talks with Arthur to take over the national side.

Arthur was to guide Cen­tral Districts in New Zea­land’s domestic Twenty20 competition, which starts on Dec 13.

Aldin Smith, who is in charge of CD for first class and one-day matches on an interim basis this season, will also take on T20 responsibilities.

“Mickey is a great cricket coach, and a top guy, and I wish him well in his next assignment,” CD chief executive Pete de Wet said in a statement on Thursday.

“We are obviously disappointed that Mickey requested a release from his contract as he would have brought his extensive experience and energy to our campaign, something that we were really looking forward to.”

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2019