Arthur feels sad for Warner

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur pitied dangerous-looking rookie Australian opener David Warner for the burden of expectations he was carrying so soon in his nascent career.

"Actually, I feel quite sorry for the lad. He's played one fantastic innings and suddenly he's been hailed as the next Messiah almost," Arthur said.

"I think it's been way over the top, to be honest. Yes, he's a good player. He looks very talented, but he's played a handful of games. He hasn't played a first-class game yet," he was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Warner, who has played just 10 one-day matches for New South Wales, took the cricket world by storm when he thrashed 89 in just 43 balls in his Australian debut in a Twenty20 match against South Africa in Melbourne.

But the 22-year-old could manage only two single-figure scores thereafter in the second T20 international and his first one-day match, against South Africa in Hobart.

"The expectations on his shoulders are huge and I think those expectations get heavier and heavier with every failure," Arthur said.

"Hopefully, we can still keep him under that sort of pressure. But to be fair to the guys, he's very dangerous.

"He can set a team up. He's the type of cricketer that, on his day, will win you games. What Australia do with him is up to them but he looks dangerous."

Warner won national selection after a state record 165 not out from 112 balls and 97 off 54 balls. Both scores were against Tasmania. He was retained in the national one-day squad when Michael Clarke was ruled out for the remaining three matches against South Africa with a thumb injury.