TAKING THE MICKEY

MICKEY ARTHUR WAS ONE OF SA'S LONGEST-SERVING AND MOST SUCCESSFUL COACHES. IN 2008, ALONG WITH THE NATIONAL TEAM, HE CREATED HISTORY WHEN THE PROTEAS BEAT BOTH ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA ON THEIR OWN TURF. BEATING PAKISTAN AWAY FROM HOME THE YEAR BEFORE, SET IN MOTION AN UNPRECEDENTED JOURNEY TO THE NUMBER ONE RANKING IN BOTH ODI AND TEST CRICKET. SINCE THE WORLD RANKING SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED TO INTERNATIONAL CRICKET, AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN THE ONLY OTHER TEAM TO ACHIEVE THIS FEAT. IN 12 TOURS 'DOWN UNDER' SPANNING ALMOST A CENTURY, SOUTH AFRICA HAS NEVER MANAGED TO WIN A TEST SERIES IN AUSTRALIA. BUT ARTHUR, CAPTAIN GRAEME SMITH AND THE REST OF THE TEAM OVERCAME INCREDIBLE ODDS TO CHASE A TOTAL OF OVER 400 IN THE FIRST TEST IN PERTH. THEY FACED WHAT SEEMED CERTAIN DEFEAT IN MELBOURNE TO WIN AGAIN AND TAKE AN UNBEATABLE 2-0 SERIES LEAD. SOUTH AFRICA BECAME THE TOP RANKED TEAM IN TEST CRICKET, FINALLY UNSEATING THE MIGHTY AUSTRALIANS WHO DOMINATED FOR YEARS. SOON AFTER, THEY REPEATED THIS FEAT W