August 29, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 15, 1428

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 28: South Africa’s cricket coach Mickey Arthur believes the team need to significantly improve their bowling and fielding before the Twenty20 World Championship.

South Africa won all three One-day Internationals on their recent tour to Zimbabwe, but they were disappointing in the field: Zimbabwe scored more than 245 in their last two innings, including 295-7 in the last match, at Harare.

“The tour of Zimbabwe came at the right time,” Arthur told News 24 news agency. “We took most of our Twenty20 team, and we were able to see what areas needed work. This is a very young and inexperienced side, and I think some of them were shocked by the difference between franchise cricket and international cricket.

“We need to do a lot of work on the bowling, which was definitely off the pace, and we also need to work on fielding techniques. The bowlers know they weren’t up to standard, and they will be working hard on getting things right.”

Concerned by the performances of the bowlers and fielders, Arthur said the squad would reassemble on Thursday, instead of Saturday as had been originally planned, to work on these aspects.

However, Arthur was more impressed by the batsmen, and was especially happy with the form of Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers.—Agencies