Boucher experiment a lesson worth remembering (10 May 1999)

10 May 1999

Boucher experiment a lesson worth remembering

Trevor Chesterfield

LONDON - Whether it was touch of inspiration or a canny bit of insight, the decision to push Mark Boucher up the batting order shows that South Africa's brains trust know they are on the right track when it comes to their World Cup planning.

Not that a decision has been made whether the experiment will be continued at Southgate today where South Africa play the last of their three warm-up games against Middlesex.

There is the impression that South Africa do not want to show too much of their basket of World Cup goodies just yet, although the third match, weather permitting, is their last ideal opportunity.

A cautious Hansie Cronje concentrated more on Jonty Rhodes' availability today than the team's battle plans as the opening match, against India in five days time. The South African captain was vaguely optimistic that Rhodes, who presence in the 1999 World Cup is seen by the organisers as a major drawcard, would turn out at Southgate.

Rhodes was dashing around the practice session in Canterbury on Sunday and again yesterday, but he was not throwing the ball, while assistant coach Graham Ford spent time with Daryll Cullinan, giving the batsmen almost an hour of throwdowns.

Should Rhodes be passed fit, Dale Benkenstein is the one likely to drop out of the side and the batting order reshuffle might receive yet another minor adjustment as South Africa put the finishing touches to their strategies for Saturday's game against India.

Nicky Boje is seen as another alternative at No3, although there has been a suggestion Derek Crookes is the extra option with Lance Klusener now being slotted in when the needs and demands arise, as was the case in Canterbury. Whether Crookes can command a place in the side is another unknown factor.

The rained off-game against Sussex at Hove has wrecked coach Bob Woolmer' s plan to give all 15 members of the squad a game in the three warm up matches. There is also some doubt whether Steve Elworthy's calf muscle injury will allow him to play in the opening game against India on Saturday should he be fit.

Okay, so the Boucher tactic did work and gave the pre-tournament favourites the extra top-order muscle to play around with as the reversible batting order took on a new meaning at picturesque St Lawrence Road, with its "declared obstruction", the 250 year old oak just inside the eastern boundary.

While Boucher's innings of 129 off 114 balls dominated the innings, the other contributions were equally authoritative. Just the sort of performance to add further respect to South Africa's already healthy reputation.

It was noticeable, too, how Boucher, batting with accomplished ease, took the pressure off Jacques Kallis and Daryll Cullinan, both of whom threw away their wickets in a reckless manner. The reverse sweep, the second in the same over, which had led to Kallis' undoing, and Cullinan's eagerness to belt the cover off the ball over the short mid-wicket boundary, did not advance South Africa's cause.

But Boucher remained calm throughout that middle-order calamity, that is if losing two wickets for 32 runs in five overs at a scoring rate of 6.4 runs an over can be classed as such.

Which is where South Africa's captain, Hansie Cronje, showed that he is prepared to turn the screws if need by sending in Lance Klusener ahead of himself and Dale Benkenstein to partner Boucher. The other alternative was to allow Nicky Boje to slide up the order. All of which shows there are no egos which are being bruised in this side.

It is all for one and one for all stuff: which came though strongly enough when South Africa were in the field. They gave Kent a sharp lesson in fielding and bowling tactics, although Cronje showed some concern how the fast outfield led to some fielding errors.

The South African captain tossed off his four wickets for six runs haul as being a "lucky bag" with Shaun Pollock and Kallis being given the credit.

Source :: Trevor Chesterfield