The Expert's Log - Mar. 3 - Mar. 9

Thursday, March 6, 2003:::

"I was able to get hold of a copy of the Duckworth-Lewis printout and, having seen them so often, I knew we had to better the par score printed on that. So we were all shouting at Mark Boucher to take a single off the last ball, but to no avail. I have no idea why the team didn't realise they needed to do better than 229, except that the pressure of the situation maybe went to their heads." Former South African coach Graham Ford
Source: The Natal Witness, South Africa

"We committed schoolboy errors and the team's management has to take a hard look at itself. What happened out there was unacceptable." Former South African off-spinner and current national selector Pat Symcox
Source: The Independent, South Africa

"I think a strong character like Hollioake in the middle order would be very good and they need a captain who has been successful. Neither Vaughan nor Trescothick have County Championship captaincy experience although Trescothick has captained a bit for England. Vaughan is the favourite but personally, I would like to see Adam Hollioake." Former England spinner John Emburey, on Nasser Hussain's successor as English one-day captain
Source: This is Cornwall, UK

"A (banned) athlete can go and practise running around an oval if he is a sprinter or a hurdler or a shot-put thrower, so why shouldn't Shane Warne be able to practise his craft against the best players?" Victoria coach David Hookes, on Warne practising during his ban against first-class opposition
Source: The Sunday Times, Australia

posted at 1:12 p.m. IST

Monday, March 3, 2003:::

"A game against Australia requires some special performances, but we don't need that against Sri Lanka. We don't need anything special, just the basics. We mustn't drop catches, mustn't get run out and need to keep things tight. We just need simple, percentage cricket." Former South African fast-bowler Fanie de Villiers
Source: The Star, South Africa

"I know he would be disappointed because he felt we stood a chance, as everyone else felt we stood a chance. But these things happen in sport and I think it's important having dialogue with him to see where we go from here." Former West Indian skipper Viv Richards, on captain Carl Hooper's World Cup
Source: CaribbeanCricket.com

"There's probably one or two players who have hung on a bit too long. I know Australia has over the last four years pretty much been moving guys out and bringing new guys in. So far it's proving to be a good decision for them. But I'm not quite sure that South Africa is blessed with the riches of talent that they (Australia) are, so it's a little bit more difficult." Former South African cricketer Kepler Wessels, on South Africa's current team
Source: The Age, Australia

posted at 12:45 p.m. IST