SA warm up with mind games

Coach Van Zyl fires an opening salvo at Sehwag; bowling coach says hosts have ammunition to rattle Indian line-up

South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl said his team has worked out special strategies to counter the furious batting of swashbuckling India opener Virender Sehwag during the three-match Test series. We definitely have a few plans for (Sehwag), coach Corrie van Zyl told the Afrikaans daily Beeld.

Sehwag should realise very quickly that he is now in South Africa and not on the tame pitches of his homeland. I know he has been successful against us in the past,but that was mainly in India. Look at his record in South Africa. It is easier to bowl to him here than in India,where the bowlers are punished heavily for every small error, Van Zyl said.

Sehwag was recently described as the most destructive batsman in world cricket today by West Indian legend Vivian Richards and the Indian opener is currently toiling hard to get acclimatised with the conditions here. Team India coach Gary Kirsten said Sehwag was of immeasurable value to the team.

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Even if he gets just 30 or 40,he does it so fast that he always places the oppositions bowlers under pressure. He also makes it much easier for the other batsmen around him,by taking the pressure of them, Kirsten said. Sehwag has hit five centuries against South Africa in a 12 Tests,with his 319 off just 304 balls against the Proteas in Chennai in 2008 remaining his highest test score.

Different conditions

Meanwhile,South African bowling coach Vincent Barnes believes his side has enough ammunition in its arsenal to bowl out India in at least two Tests in the three-match series starting at Centurion on Thursday. I know that recently there has been a lot of talk about our inability to take 20 wickets,but I am fully confident that we will do it,especially in South Africa, Barnes told Beeld.

Barnes was reacting to criticism after his side could only take 13 wickets in the recent series against Pakistan in Dubai. The Proteas also failed to bowl out visitors England last year in two matches,despite having a full day at hand.

There was really very little help for the bowlers against Pakistan and to be honest the batting conditions on the pitch in Abu Dhabi were just as good on the fifth day as it was on the first, Barnes said. Conditions will be much more difficult for the batsmen in South Africa, he added.

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