Abu Dhabi: Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to promote Briton Paul Franks to the top job as coach of the UAE national team ahead of the Intercontinental Cup four-day match and two World Cricket League fixtures against hosts Scotland.

Franks was deputy to Pakistan’s Aaqib Javed, who parted ways after a successful four-year stint that saw UAE to the 2014 U19-World Cup, the 2014 ICC World Twenty20, the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and to the 2016 Asia Cup.

Franks is expected to be in the UAE on July 8 and will take up his coaching duties from July 10.

ECB has also shown faith in UAE’s T20 captain Amjad Javed and has entrusted him with the job of leading the side in the four-dayer and the ODIs, thus relieving the burden off the young shoulders of Ahmad Raza.

With ECB having implemented the contracts for players, a conscious effort is taken to include them in the side which sees five changes from the squad that played in the Asia Cup.

“I think Franks will do a good job considering that he knows us and our mentality. He has been with the team for over a year and half and has also picked up few words in Hindi.

“Look, it is a good decision considering we are playing Scotland and because he has been working with the players and understands us. No doubt, it will be a challenge for the coach, for the players and for me. Everyone’s work will be evaluated after the series,” said Javed, who was confident of carrying the good work that he had shown in the T20s into the other two formats.

“I think they chose me because we managed to get some positive results in the Asia Cup especially against the associate nations under me. We were really struggling after Khurram Khan left and also didn’t qualify for the World T20 in India.

“Wins against Hong Kong, Oman and Afghanistan were a big boost. As a captain you need to lead from the front and I managed to do that. The boys also rallied around me and we worked as a team so I’m confident I can do a good job. The result in the World Cricket League is very important as we have to win six out of the remaining eight matches to keep our ODI status,” revealed Javed, who was also happy with the team composition.

The four-member selection panel comprising of Khurram Khan, Mohammad Tauqir, Waleed Bukhatir and Zayed Abbas has brought in three new players — Rameez Shahzad, Mohammad Qasim and Mohammad Shabbir.

While Shahzad and Qasim will be adding more stability to the batting line upfront, Shabbir will be doing a dual job as a wicketkeeper batsman. Others who make a comeback into the squad are left arm spinner Fayyaz Ahmed, middle order batsman Laxman Sreekumar and all-rounder Krishna Karate.

The players sidelined from the team that played in the Asia Cup are: Mohammad Kaleem, Fahad Tariq, Saqlain Haider, Zaheer Maqsood and Swapnil Patil.

“The selectors for sure have picked the squad taking into account the conditions. It will be seaming conditions there but the good thing is that half their season will be over when we reach and so the wickets should suit us. The players who have missed out are still a part of our training squad and their opportunity will also come,” said Javed, whose deputy Shaiman Anwar was also upbeat about the team doing well.

“The selectors have added more fire power to the batting. It will be interesting to see how the new boys adapt to the conditions quickly. I have been in good knick and hopefully can continue my form with the bat,” said Anwar.

Outgoing skipper Ahmad Raza revealed that he was “happy” with team training so far and that the Ramadan tournament has been keeping the boys fit, and that under Danube’s coach Dominic Telo the side has been working hard.

The UAE team will be leaving for the UK on a two-week training stint on July 25. They head to Scotland on August 7 ahead of their four-day match against Scotland on August 9 at Aberdeen.

UAE Squad: Amjad Javed (Captain), Shaiman Anwar (Vice-Captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammad Shabbir (Wicket-keeper), Mohammad Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Krishna Karate, Laxman Sreekumar, Mohammad Naveed, Qudeer Ahmad, Mohammad Shahzad, Ahmad Raza, Feyyaz Ahmad, Mohammad Usman. Standby: Zaheer Maqsood, Ahmad Shauqat, Yodhin Punja, Chirag Suri. Coach: Paul Franks. Assistant Coach: Dominic Telo.

Fixtures

Scotland v UAE at Aberdeen: Aug 9-12, 2016; 1st ODI: Scotland v UAE at Aberdeen Aug 14, 2nd ODI: Scotland v UAE at Aberdeen Aug 16

Paul Franks fact file

Paul Franks has been assistant coach for the UAE national team since January 2015, ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

He was then on loan to UAE Cricket from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and was a part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Level 4 — Elite Coach Development Programme.

He was supporting head coach Aaqib Javed and took care of the team’s fielding preparations.

Franks, 37, has a cricket career that includes a One-Day international for England and victory in the Under 19 World Cup.