The Hindu : S. Africa hopes to let off steam by thrashing Canada

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 27, 2003

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Sport - World Cup

S. Africa hopes to let off steam by thrashing Canada

South Africans Jacques Kallis and Allan Donald would be hoping to come up with one of their sterling efforts as the co-host takes on Canada in a Group B match in East London on Thursday.

EAST LONDON Feb. 26. South Africa, seeking two straight wins to stay in the World Cup, will play minnows Canada on Thursday, beset by reports of dissension in the team and questions about veteran pace bowler Allan Donald's place in the team.

Canada, virtually out of the tournament, has nothing to lose; but South Africa is under tremendous pressure from fans and local media to make amends for its 1999 performance when it came agonisingly close to winning the World Cup.

South Africa tied with Australia in the semifinal after Donald and Lance Klusener failed to complete the last-ball run needed for victory and Australia went through to the final by finishing higher in the group.

``No one has ever won the World Cup in their own home country before. So the pressure is there that way. But now the guys are focused on cricket,'' said South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis after net practice on Tuesday.

He said his team-mates, refreshed after spending time with their families during a two-day break, will approach Thursday's game at Buffalo Park professionally. They will watch videos of the Canadians playing and assess each player, Kallis said.

``We will see what are their strengths and weaknesses. We will approach them in the way we approach Australia,'' he said.

But Canada's captain, Joe Harris, is revelling in the pressure on South Africa. ``I don't think it is particularly unfortunate that we meet South Africa at this stage of the tournament,'' he said. ``They're under a lot of pressure to do well. It might even work for us.''

After four games, South Africa has eight points from victories over minnows Kenya and Bangladesh. It was lose its other two matches — the opening game against the West Indies by three runs and a rain-shortened match against New Zealand by nine wickets even after scoring 306 runs. Canada is placed fourth with four points and Bangladesh is at the bottom with two.

The group leaders currently are Sri Lanka and Kenya with 12 points each after the African nation's shock defeat of Sri Lanka. But they are only two points ahead of second-placed West Indies and four points ahead of No. 3 New Zealand and South Africa.

With such a close race, the four teams' progress to the Super Six stage will depend on their last two pool matches — in South Africa's case against Canada and Sri Lanka on Saturday.

``We will go out and give our best shot. The guys are pretty keen to do well now,'' said Kallis.

The losses against the West Indies and New Zealand had triggered much soul searching in the team, and opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs obliquely questioned captain Shaun Pollock's ability to lead by saying the side still missed the late captain Hansie Cronje, who was disgraced in a match-fixing scandal before his death.

But Kallis denied that the morale was low. ``Each guy has set his goals for what is best for the team,'' he said. ``The team comes first before personal goals".

``We have got to get our run rate up. That will be our first objective and make sure we win the game. Cricket is a funny old game. So we go out there and make sure we do what we want to do, properly.''

On form, South Africa should be able to easily beat Canada, despite the heroics of opener John Davison who hit the fastest World Cup century against the West Indies at Centurion on Sunday.

South Africa is likely to bring back Donald, who was replaced by young fast bowler Monde Zondeki for the last match against Bangladesh.

``Allan needs the chance to bowl again, and I am sure he will get the chance,'' Pollock said in defence of the 36-year-old Donald, once the spearhead of South African new ball attack but now struggling for form.

Pollock has so far firmly backed Donald despite the chorus of public opinion including that of his father, former test player Peter Pollock, that the veteran should retire.

Kallis also defended Donald. ``If Allan Donald had one or two bad games you certainly don't want to write him off,'' he said. ``The guy has been playing for hell of a long time so I am fully confident that he will come back and prove to his critics that he is still a world class player. I am 100 per cent confident.''

The teams:

Canada (from): Joseph Harris (captain), Ashish Bagai, Ian Billcliff, Desmond Chumney, Austin Codrington, John Davison, Nicholas de Groot, Nicholas Ifill, Davis Joseph, Ishwar Maraj, Ashish Patel, Abdul Samad, Fazil Samad, Barry Seebaran and Sanjayan Thuraisingam.

South Africa (from): Shaun Pollock (captain), Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Boeta Dippenaar, Allan Donald, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Lance Klusener, Charl Langeveldt, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Graeme Smith and Monde Zondeki.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (Aus) and Kevan Barbour (Zim). TV umpire: Aleem Dar (Pak).

Match referee: Wasim Raja (Pak).

Hours of play (IST): 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5.45 p.m. onwards.

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