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Arthur ecstatic about Proteas
15/04/2008 19:42 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Proteas coach Mickey Arthur and captain Graeme Smith were upbeat when they arrived back in South Africa from India on Tuesday, despite losing the third Test in Kanpur.
"It was a hugely successful tour," beamed Smith. "I've been very pleased with the level of cricket we've played all season. We've really been strong and on top of our game.
It was disappointing that we couldn't win the last Test, but we did very well in the first two, against one of the most experienced and strongest sides in the world, on their home ground.
"The wicket made it a touch of a lottery...the margins were very small in that (third) Test, if you had a bad session, you dropped a catch, didn't bowl as well.
Once you fell behind in that Test, it was very hard to catch up. We let ourselves down by not getting 300 in the first innings, and perhaps we didn't bowl as well as we did in the first two Tests, but I'm very happy with the way our season has gone.
'Can be a bit daunting'
"I am very happy about the way some of the younger players came through," he added. "It can be a bit daunting, but their performances were superb. I think several of them have really made their mark and stamped their authority on the game.
"I also think we have one of the best bowling attacks in the world. I was also very happy with the way the batsmen played, across the board - we had seven centuries, which is superb in those conditions."
Arthur said the team had put behind them the controversy surrounding the selection of the team for the tour of India.
"I think the success of the team is indicative of the processes that have been put in place," he said.
"With success, there will be fewer off-field issues than there might be without success. I'm comfortable that things have been sorted out and we are going from strength to strength."
"As players we just want to see that the system is right, and that it can be trusted, " said Smith.
"We don't want to have any issues like we had before the last couple of tours." Hopefully we can now concentrate on the cricket, and the cricket will now be the main focus of the players, the administration and the media."
Smith said he was very pleased with the team's performance throughout the season.
Toughest place to go
"I think the season we've just had outdid all our expectations," he said. "Three sub-continent tours, winning two and drawing one - it's the toughest place to go on tour, so it's been awesome." We also had a very successful home season.
"The challenge for us now is to get ready for England. It will be important for us to find our feet as soon as possible."
Arthur echoed Smith's sentiments. "I'm ecstatic about the tour, I'm ecstatic about the season we've just had, and I'm ecstatic about the future of this Test team."
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