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| December 20, 2001 | Thursday | Shawwal 4, 1422 |
Uncle Graeme blasts nephew Pollock’s captaincy
ADELAIDE, Dec 19: South African batting great and senior selector Graeme Pollock Tuesday revealed he had an angry behind-the-scenes exchange with his nephew’s team as they crashed to defeat against Australia.
Pollock criticised South African captain Shaun Pollock’s fielding placements and bowling tactics which he says allowed Australia to take the running in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Pollock, travelling with the team as a selector, voiced his disapproval after Australia amassed an unbeatable 375-run lead on Monday’s fourth day before reducing South Africa to 17 for two by stumps.
South Africa were routed for 128 with the Test finishing six minutes before tea on the final day.
“It relates to South Africa allowing Australia to dominate yesterday (Monday),” Pollock said during radio match commentary on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“South Africa’s tactics had to be to limit and contain Australia’s scoring, yet that wasn’t done.”
Pollock revealed that he clashed with the team in their dressing room during Monday’s play.
He said he went in at the lunch break to advise spinner Claude Henderson to bowl around the wicket, only to be told by Henderson that his captain wanted him to bowl over the wicket into the rough caused by bowlers’ footmarks.
Graeme Pollock said there were angry words during the tea break, saying on radio: “A hard word was needed to try and save this game.”
Pollock added that he had given the South African team a wide berth on the final day. “I don’t think they were too happy with what I said to them Monday.”
Shaun Pollock puzzled observers by keeping his fastest bowler Nantie Hayward out of the attack for three hours while Matthew Hayden and Mark Waugh were well into their decisive 181-run third wicket partnership.
He called on Henderson to bowl the first over after lunch when Australia were 102 for two and by the time Hayward came on to bowl, to ironic cheers from the home crowd, Australia were cruising along at 200 for two.
“Australia weren’t going to lose the Test after posting their first innings score (439) and South Africa’s frame of mind since then was that they weren’t going to win it,” said Graeme Pollock.
“From South Africa’s point of view they must put up a reasonable performance to have the confidence for the remainder of the Tests against Australia.”
Shaun Pollock later played down any cricketing family rift.
“There are no worries with my uncle I can assure you,” said Pollock after the Test.
“Obviously, we discussed certain things, the way the game was going, but we didn’t discuss the negative or positive captaincy, not that I can remember anyway.”—AFP
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