Mickey Arthur      

Full name John Michael Arthur

Born May 17, 1968, Johannesburg, Transvaal

Current age 41 years 176 days

Major teams Griqualand West, Orange Free State

Batting style Right-hand bat

Other Coach

Mickey Arthur was the type of player who commanded universal respect through his dedication and always showed the attributes of being a good coach. He managed 6557 runs playing for Free State, Griqualand West and South Africa A before hanging up his boots in 2001. He coached Griquas in the domestic competition before taking over the Eastern Cape side in 2003, and guiding them to the finals of the Standard Bank Pro20 series in the last two seasons. He was a slightly surprising choice to take over as the national coach in May 2005, succeeding Ray Jennings.

His first two Test series as coach happened to be against a rampant Australia, both away and at home, and South Africa were easily brushed aside. In between, an injury-hit South Africa failed to make the finals of the 2005-06 VB Series, but they did clinch a tense one-day series win over Australia at home, which culminated in that match at Johannesburg. A home win over New Zealand was followed up by a disasturous tour of Sri Lanka in the summer of 2006, where South Africa lost both Tests and pulled out of a tri-series after a bomb exploded in Colombo, and failure to make the final of the ICC Champions Trophy.

From there on though, South Africa were run quietly, calmly and successfully by Arthur and Graeme Smith and did not lose a Test series until early 2009. Back-to-back Test and one-day series victories against India and Pakistan at home were followed by another Australia-inflicted ouster in the semi-finals of the 2007 World Cup, but South Africa marched onwards in Tests. Under Arthur they snapped a 43-year hiatus with their first series win in England since the end of apartheid and then overcame the biggest bogey of them all, a series win in Australia.
Jamie Alter June 2008

Orange Free State 1990/91-1994/95

Griqualand West 1986/87-1989/90 and 1995/96

Education: Westville BHS

Junior Representative Cricket: Ntl Nuff 1984-86

Sep 21, 2009

Mickey Arthur strolls around Supersport Park with his pen and notepad

© AFP

Sep 17, 2009

Mickey Arthur at a press conference

© Getty Images

Jun 30, 2009

Mickey Arthur congratulates Roelof van der Merwe on picking up the Newcomer of the Year award

© Getty Images

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