South Africa coach Mickey Arthur is frustrated by the sight of Jonathan Trott playing for England.
Proteas coach understands Harmison omission
The sight of Jonathan Trott in an England shirt is a source of frustration for South Africa coach Mickey Arthur.
Trott was born and raised in South Africa and represented the Proteas at youth level.
But he left the country of his birth to join Warwickshire in 2002 and has always been eligible for England due to a British passport, which he qualifies for via his English grandparents.
The 28-year-old made his England Test debut last August against Australia, scoring a century to help regain the Ashes, and is now part of the squad touring South Africa.
"It does (frustrate) a little bit, to be honest," Arthur told
The Wisden Cricketer magazine.
"He wouldn't be in our top six at the moment because our line-up is settled and has a lot of steel but he'd be there or thereabouts.
"Hats off to him; he's gone away and forged a successful career for himself."
Onions praise
Arthur has also been impressed by England seamer Graham Onions, who he believes can make up for the absence of Steve Harmison - although he revealed some of his players were happy they will not have to face Onions' Durham team-mate.
"Graham Onions impressed us in the Champions Trophy," added Arthur. "He is almost a like-for-like replacement for Harmison.
"Harmy would have been a handful and a lot of our batters are happy he's not coming.
"But I can see how (England coach) Andy Flower and (captain) Andrew Strauss are thinking.
"Harmison's obviously not in their planning for the Ashes next year so they might as well expose someone like Onions to what will be as tough a tour, if not tougher, as what they will experience Down Under.
"England seem to have something quite nice going. It reminds me a bit of where we were two years ago.
"They've looked at the brand of cricket they want to play, backed a couple of players and also swept clean a bit.
"They're going about it the right way. The leadership was exceptional during the Ashes. They look like a well-settled unit."
