Cricket: NZ heading for headaches

New Zealand's under-fire batsmen have been told to brush up on their technique against the short ball if they want to avoid some big headaches in South Africa.

Auckland coach and resident South African expert Mark O'Donnell said yesterday the hosts were certain to use the bouncer as a regular weapon in the first test at Centurion next weekend, and particularly after New Zealand's well-documented problems against the West Indies.

Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris and Brendon McCullum were all hit by bouncers during the most recent test series, something O'Donnell blamed on a lack of preparation rather than anything special from the bowlers.

"I'm not sure that today's batsmen are working on their technique against the short ball as much as their predecessors did," he said.

"Because they're offered extra protection now from the helmet, they seem to rationalise the risk and think along the lines of, 'Well, if it hits me I'll still be all right'.

"They're sacrificing that part of their game in order to spend more time on other parts."

A former provincial coach in South Africa for eight years, O'Donnell noted West Indian batting star Ramnaresh Sarwan, and Australians Andrew Symonds and Justin Langer, had been hit in the head this season, as had Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee in last year's Ashes series.

He said one of his concerns was that batsmen were now making an early decision against playing the rising ball, were taking their eye off it, and as a result were far more likely to make an error in judgment and be hit.

The only remedy, he reckoned, was for batsmen to spend more time in the practice nets being exposed to short-pitched bowling, so techniques and methods could be refined, and improvements made in decision-making.

"It always used to be a pre-requisite at the top level because, in the days before helmets, you simply couldn't afford to be struck as badly as some of these guys are today," he said.

"They just stand there and turn their head on it. If you did that 25 years ago you'd be out for half the season."

O'Donnell agreed that extended practice sessions against genuine short-pitched bowling was never a popular part of the batsman's preparations, but that it needed to be persevered with just as much as any other part of the game.

He said the issue was likely to take on extra significance in South Africa this month, as in-form fast-bowler Makhaya Ntini seemed to be at the peak of his powers and would almost certainly present more of a threat than anything the New Zealanders saw this summer.

"I certainly hope the boys have been working on it since they got over there, because the way Ntini's going right now, it will be a factor - one way or the other," O'Donnell said.

"I'm not sure how much it will help playing the first warm-up game against the Rest of South Africa at Benoni, because the Willowmoore Park pitch is pretty low and slow, and might not give them much of an indication.

"But they can rest assured that Centurion will be a lot quicker and a lot bouncier."

Meanwhile, Rest of South Africa captain Neil McKenzie yesterday made no bones about his side's motives in the four-day match that started last night.

"It's a first-class game so nothing will be taken for granted," he said.

"The players have the incentive of forcing the national selectors' hands.

"Individuals will be looking to score hundreds or take five-wicket hauls.

"As captain, my job is to ensure New Zealand get their tour off to a losing start."


* Richard Boock will be filing daily reports for nzherald.co.nz from South Africa during the three tests.