Cricket: Pollock looks on the bright side of cricketing life

By RICHARD BOOCK

It says something of Shaun Pollock that after experiencing some of the game's harshest indignities he still managed to be named Wisden Cricketer of the Year, and one of South Africa's five players of the year.

Not for him was the infighting and finger-pointing that marred South Africa's early exit from last year's World Cup, or the subsequent criticism of the decision to replace him as captain with 22-year-old Graeme Smith.

The changing of the guard followed South Africa's dramatic World Cup tie against Sri Lanka in Durban, when the host team misread the Duckworth-Lewis calculated target and left themselves one run short of the win.

It's difficult to relive those last few dramatic minutes at Kingsmead without recalling the anguished figure of Pollock, head in his hands at the front of the dressing room, as he realised the enormity of the blunder.

He would have been mortified when he lost the captaincy a few days later, yet he carried himself with dignity and poise as he announced his undying support and commitment to the game and team he loved.

"Despite the fact I'm no longer South African captain, I'm 100 per cent committed to South African cricket and would like to remain a positive influence in the side," he said at the time.

Regarded as one of, if not the best all-rounder in world cricket, he averaged 60.25 with the bat during last winter's tour of England and took 22 wickets at 21.81, including six for 39 in the third test at Nottingham.

There were few batting chances during last month's test series against the West Indies but he still managed to pick up 17 low-cost wickets, and continued to cause the tourists difficulties in the one-day series.

He said this week that the loss of the captaincy was difficult to accept, but that he never lost interest in playing cricket, or playing for South Africa.

"It did take a bit of an adjustment from being captain and making a lot of the decisions to a more laid-back role," he said.

"But I've settled into it and I'm happy with being the senior pro and just trying to help out; offering advice and doing whatever I can to get South African cricket going in the right direction.

"I'm fully adjusted now, there's no problem. I love playing the game, I love playing for my country so at the end of the day, whatever I might feel from my side of things, I'll just keep looking at it from that perspective."

Pollock, who made his international debut in 1995-96, has played under a variety of captains in the interim period but believes the present side has as much potential, if not more, than the others, and is excited about the latest progress.

He said the blend of youth and experience was healthy for the side, but that there were also several players in "their absolute prime" who were starting to realise what they were capable of.

"We played good cricket to beat the West Indies but we also know they're not the strongest of opponents," he said. "They're ranked about eighth in the world; we knew we should have dominated them and we did.

"But it's a different challenge coming here. New Zealand will be prepared for us, they're going to be ready and waiting. They know what we're going to throw at them and I think it should be a good battle."

For all that he believed South Africa were slightly more evolved as an international combination and predicted that the stability of the tourists' line-up could be an important factor in the exchange.

"I don't know some of the opposition players so it's hard to look at match-ups, but we're probably a more settled side than New Zealand," he said.

"These names you hear of have been around for quite some time now, and it's a very balanced and settled combination."

New Zealand have yet to beat South Africa in a one-day or test series and Pollock said he and his team-mates were anxious for the trend to continue on this tour, so that they can put their feet up at the end of the series and reflect on a job well done.

He said that in the past, South Africa had been able to work out New Zealand's strengths and weaknesses and had managed to successfully counter unusual players such as Chris Harris and Gavin Larsen, as well as most of the home team's batsmen.

"Things change and you have to keep changing your game plans to suit, but I think we've played well against them and we're all pretty keen for that to continue."