Arthur confident of success Down Under

It is 16 years since Australia lost to anyone in a home Test series - but South Africa coach Mickey Arthur believes his tourists may be in the 'right place' at the right time to achieve a slice of history.

The West Indies were the last team to beat Australia Down Under - and going into a three-Test series which starts in Perth on Wednesday, South Africa are the one team in world cricket with the firepower to compare with those of old from the Caribbean.

"We've got a huge amount of respect for Australia," said Arthur. "They're still the best team in the world. They haven't been beaten in Australia for 16 years, and we really respect them. But by the same token, we're a confident team at the moment - which is very nice. It's a really good place to be."

He added: "We're not letting any outside distractions get to us; we're pretty calm; we're pretty relaxed. This is the most focused and relaxed I've seen this team - which is fantastic."