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King Arthur bonding new Australia

By AAP .
30 December 2011 03:42PM EST

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NEW head coach Mickey Arthur has been praised as a bonding force for the Australian cricket team.

Three Tests into his career with Australia, the South African has already experienced the low of the recent shock loss to New Zealand and the high of Thursday's morale-building MCG win over India.

As the first non-Australian to guide the national side, there were concerns raised by some that there might be cultural issues for him to overcome.

But Test quick Peter Siddle said fromer South Africa team coach Arthur had done an excellent job ensuring Australia's players remained mentally strong after the New Zealand defeat.

"The way he has been around the group, it has been outstanding," Siddle said.

"The support he has had for the players and his knowledge of the game, it has been good.

"We had the disappointment down in Hobart but it's going forward.

"He's a great guy and he comes with a different view and it's all working well for us.

"The group is very upbeat. We just love being around each other."

One of Arthur's initiatives ahead of the first Test against India was to stage a three-day batting camp, after Australia produced some disastrous batting innings against both South Africa and NZ.

There were early echoes of those performances in the second innings against India, when Australia slumped to 4-27, before a rescue effort led by veterans Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey.

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