South African World Cup team accused of indiscipline

In a controversial leaked report, the South African team has been accused of undisciplined preparation for the World Cup. The players mentioned included Herschelle Gibbs (accused of "bingeing") Allan Donald (excessive drinking) and Lance Klusener (poor fitness). The report filed to the United Cricket Board (UCB) by Andrew Gray, the South African team's fitness trainer, was published by a Cape Town newspaper. Eric Simons, the team coach, is expected to issue a statement on behalf of the players on Thursday, after a team meeting on Wednesday night to discuss the controversy that erupted on the eve of the first Test at Chittagong.

However, Gray, now with the South African team touring in Bangladesh, clarified that the report did not refer to preparations just before for the World Cup. He said the comments were made in December last year as part of letters to individual players in the World Cup squad. But Gerald Majola, the UCB chief, admitted to the South African media that some of the issues raised in the report were of great concern, and are being addressed as part of an ongoing process to improve the team's performance.

The report also allegedly accused Jacques Kallis of having a poor lifestyle outside cricket, branded Andrew Hall, Charl Langeveldt and Klusener as "fatties", and Shaun Pollock of being a chocolate addict.

Reacting to the report, Klusener called it a "huge red herring". He told the Daily Mercury: "Our failure (in the World Cup) had nothing to do either with our condition or the way we prepared for the tournament. It had more to do with our skill levels." He pointed out that all the players had passed a fitness test at Cape Town's Sports Science Institute two weeks before the tournament.

Reacting more sharply, Donald called the published report "absolute rubbish". He told the South African media: "Gray will never say that about the players. Prior to the World Cup, we were advised on how to prepare for matches and when we could relax a bit. We are all professional sportsmen. We're not idiots who'll drink too much before South Africa's cricket matches."

Donald told News 24 that the South African players on tour in Bangladesh were very disappointed about the report. "I spoke to Corrie van Zyl (bowling coach) and he said that he felt like a boxer who was being knocked down as soon as he tried to get up from the canvas.

"As a result of this load of rubbish the players won't get any recognition for their achievements in Bangladesh. Everything's blown out of proportion. I'm very frustrated. It's almost unbelievable and it's yet another attempt to further sink South African cricket."