The world's top-ranked team were hampered by an under-prepared pitch in a practice session at St Mary's College on Saturday.

"The first ball we bowled went straight through the top and overall it wasn't great," Arthur told Reuters on Sunday. "We tried to do the best we could, using spinners only because the surface wasn't suitable for seam bowlers.

"They can get away with this sort of thing now but imagine if it happened before our Group A game against Australia (in St Kitts on March 24). I used the opportunity to tell the organisers to make sure their house was in order."

Saturday's problems marked the second time in as many days the South Africans had their plans disrupted by the state of the practice facilities.

ALSO HAMPERED

Arthur said the net session at the Sir Frank Worrell Oval on Friday was also hampered.

His team were due to return to the venue on Sunday to complete their preparations for their first warm-up match against Ireland on Monday.

"The field itself seems adequate and the pitch for tomorrow's game looks okay," Arthur said. "But the pitches in the nets weren't good and the bowlers' run-ups were basically sand."

South Africa play their second warm-up match against Pakistan in Port-of-Spain on Friday before taking on Netherlands in St Kitts on March 16 in their first match in Group A.

The other team in the group are Scotland.