Woolmer's pre-Cup plans (2 May 1999)

2 May 1999

Woolmer's pre-Cup plans

Trevor Chesterfield

CENTURION (South Africa) - Bob Woolmer is leaving nothing to chance when South Africa play their warm-up matches over the next week in the build up to their World Cup opening game against India at Hove on May 15.

The man England are hoping to one day entice to take over as their team's mentor and coach says all 15 members of the South African World Cup squad are to play a role in the three warm up matches, the first of which is against Sussex at the Saffrons in Hove on Friday

South Africa have 11 days to prepare for the game against India with the other warm up games against Kent at Canterbury on Sunday and Middlesex at Uxbridge, a sort of country seat of the county for whom Jacques Kallis played for with distinction a couple of summers ago.

"I have not yet had a full discussion on the plans for the games with the selectors, but it is my thought to give all the players a chance in the three matches," he said shortly before the side began their 18 hour air journey to England via Dubai.

"We had a good work out in Cape Town where we used the slow side of the Newlands table to help us acclimatise to UK conditions," he added. "And I think it went particularly well, especially as we had good weather and temperatures were warm.

"Now we have to get down to the work of preparing ourselves and hoping the English weather will play along.

"I know showers have been forecast (for Hove) the first two days we are there. Hopefully it will be kind to us," he added.

"It is going to be very different from Newlands and the players know that as well. Fortunately most of the squad are familiar with English conditions, which helps a lot," Woolmer admitted.

He was not too bothered by the use of the Dukes ball as it had been used in the seven match series against the West Indies. And he was quick to dismiss as well the notion that the practice games would be used to sort out the side's batting and bowling permutations.

Although Woolmer did not say so he gave the impression that if the planning gone into the World Cup had not help sort out the batting and bowling rotation systems then it had been a waste of time. Which is fair enough.

South Africa have, after all, been on the limited overs road since the pre-Commonwealth Games training camp in September and have won two trophies and limited-overs series against the West Indies and New Zealand.

Winning 12 of the last 17 LOIs and losing three is not a record which other sides are likely to ignore as they too prepare for their World Cup campaigns.

As Woolmer suggests, however, well-prepared does not mean South Africa have become smug about the opposition, especially in England. India and Sri Lanka present major challenges as well as England with Zimbabwe and Kenya snapping at their heels.

Although he did not say it, the thought running through Woolmer's mind is that it could be a "tough old dog fight" in the next few weeks.

Source :: Trevor Chesterfield, Pretoria News