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| December 12, 2001 | Wednesday | Ramazan 26, 1422 |
No differences between MacGill and me: Warne: Donald backs himself
ADELAIDE, Dec 11: Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, the world’s most successful slow bowler, said Tuesday there was no rift between himself and fellow leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.
Both have been named in Australia’s squad of 12 for Friday’s first Test against South Africa and since then have been fending off questions about their perceived lack of on-field chemistry.
“There’s never been a rift between myself and Stuey,” Warne said.
“I don’t know where that has come from, I’ve got no idea.”
MacGill, 30, has often been the back-up to Warne, playing mainly in Tests when the Victorian leg-spinner was injured.
Last year, MacGill took advantage of Warne’s absence due to a finger injury to take 16 wickets in four Tests against West Indies in Australia.
However MacGill, who has had several run-ins with authorities over his on-field behaviour, has not played a Test since despite an excellent record of 75 wickets at 25.02 in 16 matches. Warne, 32, is fifth on the list of all-time wicket takers in Test cricket with 413.
While MacGill has the better record in the five Tests they’ve played together (24 wickets to Warne’s seven) MacGill said wickets were often created by the bowler at the other end and described Warne as the best spinner of all time.
“The Test matches we played together, my first few back were straight after my major shoulder operation so I probably wasn’t anywhere near my best and Stuey played well in a few games,” Warne said.
“So I’d like to think it could work, whether it works this test match, the next one or whenever.” Warne also said if Australia played to their best there was no reason why they couldn’t beat South Africa three-nil.
“The mental side, we’ve definitely got that over South Africa,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of talk that South Africa can beat us this series but I think that if we play to the best that we have been playing, then I think there’s no reason we can’t win three-nil.”
Meanwhile South Africa’s Allan Donald is concerned his fast bowling has not been fine-tuned after a lengthy absence ahead of Friday’s opening cricket Test with Australia at Adelaide Oval.
Donald, 35 and out of Test cricket for more than six months, does not believe his big-toe injury will keep him out of the opening round of the world championship showdown.
He says his bowling hasn’t been fine-tuned and “It’s not all there.”
Donald lost valuable preparation time because of a toe injury sustained during a four-day game against Western Australia in Perth last weekend. He said the injury, caused by a new pair of boots, should heal in time.
“All the hype about the toe and the boot and all that is a load of rubbish to be honest,” Donald said.
He said his old boots were being fetched from the republic for the Adelaide Test and should arrive by Thursday.
But he is worried about his bowling rhythm and his confidence.
“I’m nearly there but the confidence to go into a Test at the Adelaide Oval against the Aussies is a different thing,” said Donald Tuesday.
“But I’ve always backed myself. I’ve backed my ability in the past and I can do that again.
“Obviously, the consideration for me is that I haven’t played enough cricket to justify playing in the first Test but I’m confident enough to back myself to do a job for South Africa.”
Donald said a lack of bowling at the highest level made it hard to “hit the right areas” on the pitch.
“I think I’m still bowling sharpish — the ball’s coming out sweetly.
“But against the Aussies you’re going to have bowl quality all the time — it’s just that odd ball when you give away four that breaks a good spell or a good over.—Reuters/AFP
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