Paul Franks joins UAE cricket team as assistant coach ahead of ICC World Cup

On loan to UAE Cricket from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, Franks, 35, has only just finished playing in a career that included a one-day international for England and victory in the Under 19 World Cup.

The Emirates Cricket Board has appointed Paul Franks as an assistant coach to the UAE national team, ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next month.

Franks will support head coach Aaqib Javed and also take responsibility for the team’s fielding preparations.

Javed said: “Thanks to funding we are able to access, as part of our ICC High Performance Programme, we took a decision to employ the services of another quality coach to further support the team at the World Cup.

“Paul was a natural, easy choice. He made a strong, positive impact during the team’s three-week training camp, the players know him, and he knows their strengths as well as the areas they need to work on. We’re looking forward to having Paul on board.”

On loan to UAE Cricket from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, Franks is part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Level 4 – Elite Coach Development Programme.

Franks, 35, has only just finished playing in a career that included a one-day international for England and victory in the Under 19 World Cup.

“It took me a while to get my head around being approached by the Emirates Cricket Board, that was flattering enough in itself, and this is a huge opportunity for me at a very early stage in my coaching development,” Franks said.

“I’ve still got a lot to learn and World Cup’s don’t come around very often, it was a decision that didn’t take long. I’m grateful to Mick Newell and the staff at Nottinghamshire for giving me the chance to go away, learn, apply myself, and I’m hoping to bring that, and more, back to Trent Bridge this summer.”

The UAE leave for the World Cup next week, having been drawn in Pool B of the tournament, along with India, Zimbabwe, West Indies, Ireland, Pakistan and South Africa. They will play Australia (February 11) and Afghanistan (February 13) in warm-up games in Melbourne.

Their first tournament match is against Zimbabwe on February 19 in Nelson, New Zealand.

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