Allan Donald cuts a menacing figure even nine years after his retirement. His stride purposeful, shoulders as if concealing latent torque, Donald wipes away a single rivulet of sweat from his cheek, disturbing the butterfly-like symmetry of zinc cream on his face. In Chennai recently as New Zealand's bowling coach, Donald, now 44, put the fear of God in batsmen in his prime. But pace, blinding or brisk, is not what he considers the key to this World Cup.
“I spoke to the boys about the ball reversing, about preparing the ball to get it swinging in the end overs. Bowling at the death, that's where reverse swing is going to be a massive thing and a huge key for me in this World Cup. That's where games are going to be won or lost,” he says.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
After suffering a demoralising defeat to India in a practice game at Chennai, New Zealand easily won its opening match against Kenya. But firmer tests lie ahead, and the Kiwis, coming into the premier event with three morale-sapping ODI series losses (0-4 to Bangladesh, 0-5 to India and 2-3 to Pakistan), will have to be prepared for tougher contests. Donald, the first South African to reach 300 Test wickets, joined the Kiwi camp in January, and the first thing he told his wards was not to expect miracles.
“Reverse swing is something new to most of the Kiwi bowlers, and to be able to understand that and execute it will require some time. When you come to the subcontinent there will be situations which require you to bowl length. You've got to be brave enough to do that. And if the ball is not doing anything off the pitch, you'll have to make it move in the air. Thank God when I was playing there were no Powerplays,” he says.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The rest of the cricket fraternity is viewing the sub-continental World Cup as purely a batsman's and spinner's tournament. Aside from the multi-faceted Daniel Vettori, New Zealand has Luke Woodcock, also a left-arm spinner, and off-spinning all rounder Nathan McCullum in its squad. Donald too feels that the slower bowlers could have a deep impact on the fate of nations. But New Zealand is not packing its eleven with all three spinners just yet.
“We will see the wicket and then decide who we're playing. India has the talent to play two or three spinners. That's where I think they are going to strategise well. As soon as they got over the new ball (in the practice game at Chepauk), the spinners came on. That gives India an upper hand over a lot of teams. The opposing batsmen will have to find a way of conquering the spinners,” he says.