Arthur: England are very good

Proteas draft in Morkel with upcoming Test series in mind

Last updated: 24th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Arthur: England are very good

Arthur: Supports review system

I saw enough of England during the Champions Trophy to know that they're a very good side, who on their day can beat anybody

Mickey Arthur
Quotes of the week

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
South Africa v England
Noon, Friday November 27, Sky Sports 1/HD1

Related links

Teams

Also see

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur has warned his players that they are in for a "long, hard summer" against England.

The tourists are currently 1-0 up in the one-day series after comfortably chasing down a target of 251 at Centurion Park on Sunday.

England also defeated the Proteas in the ICC Champions Trophy on South African soil, while the two teams drew the recent Twenty20 series.

Arthur admits the hosts will have to up their game if they are to be competitive against opponents he believes can beat anyone in the world on their day.

Disappointed

"I was a little bit disappointed with our all-round game," he said. "I thought we should have got more (runs). I thought we were 30 short.

"Then apart from the first 20 overs, we couldn't put enough pressure on with the ball. We know we have to improve. We know we're in for a long, hard summer now.

"I saw enough of England during the Champions Trophy to know that they're a very good side, who on their day can beat anybody."

Trailing with three matches to play in the one-day series, South Africa have drafted in paceman Morne Morkel to bolster their bowling options.

Arthur insists the call-up is as much with the upcoming Test series against the same opponents in mind, though there are also concerns over Wayne Parnell.

"The view with that is we are not 100 percent sure where Wayne Parnell is yet," he added.

"We sent him to play club cricket on Sunday. He bowled six overs and seemed to come through okay. But we are just going to have a look at him through the week.

"It is certainly not a panic call-up. Morne is going to be integral, certainly at the start of the Test series - and we feel we want him around the group and can keep working with him now."

Review system

Meanwhile, Arthur has welcomed the news that the ICC's decision review system winow looks certain to be used in the Tests against England.

The system has been now refined to include only two permissible failed challenges per side in each innings.

"I definitely support it. There's no doubt I think it's the right way to go," Arthur said.

"I'm not 100% sure on the actual detail yet, how much of it we are going to use and what is going to be available.

"I hope if we are going to use it we go the whole hog and get all the technology available. I think that's key to making it a success."