A typical rags-to-riches story, John Michael Arthur has had a low-key affair to scaling new heights in his sprawling cricket career. Born in Johannesburg, Mickey, a right handed middle-order batsman, played with Natal Nuffield, a team which boasted of the likes of Barry Richards. He moved on to first class cricket representing Griqualand West Cricket Team for four years. He would eventually land up as the head coach in Griqualand for 2001-03, not before having a brief stint as a batsman with Free State for half a decade.

Before he called it quits to his playing days, he had put up 6657 runs with Eastland, Griqualand and Free State. After coaching the Eastern Cape side in 2003 to consecutive finals in the Standard Pro20 series, the major turn-around occurred when he took over reigns as the head coach of South Africa in 2005 from Ray Jennings. After an obnoxious start to his career, he and a young duckling Graeme Smith, the youngest player to captain the Proteas in the longest version of the game, started a new phase in South African history. They were completely demolished by the 'Phenom" of cricket, Australia, both away and home in the Test series but not without winning a fiercely contested battle in ODIs at home. They were also given the marching orders by Oz in the ICC CWC semi-finals of 2007, for some it meant the permanent attachment of ‘chokers’ tag to this side.

The stepping stone to glory came with a series win in England after a 43-year drought. Before his tenure came to end in 2010, the ultimate catch came in the 'clash of the titans' contested Test series win in Australia. He was named the coach of Western Australia in the starting of 2011 along with the assignment of Big Bash franchise Perth Scorchers, he stepped down to make way for his ultimate mettle to coach one of the best sides in the world, Australia. Unfortunately, he could not succeed and was sacked as the head coach of Australia, prior to the 2013 Ashes in England.