Date-stamped : 13 Jul94 - 10:26 Donald ready for duck-shooting against England Mike Procter's assessment of South Africa's strike force The warning came from South Africa's last great fast bowler, Mike Procter, the demon from the veld who bowled like the winds off the wrong foot for Natal and Gloucestershire: Allan Donald, the outstanding match-winner on either side in the forthcoming Test series, is back to his best. Even without the injured Brett Schultz and Aubrey Martyn, it is South Africa's five-man pace at- tack, led by Donald, which carries the country's hopes and Procter, now the coach, says: "I would say Allan is bowling as well as I've ever seen him, and that's very well indeed. "We have played a lot since coming back to international cricket and there was a bit of a reaction with Allan. I don't think he bowled par- ticularly well in either of our back-to-back series against Aus- tralia. "But on this tour, as against Hampshire for example, he has proved that he has got it all back. He's a natural athlete with a good run-up and classical action. There's outswing too, with plenty of pace, and he can give problems to the best batsmen in the world." If five bowlers could be squeezed into a World XI Donald, 27, would be there, probably alongside Wasim, Waqar, Am- brose and Warne. He led the English averages in his first full season with Warwickshire, in 1989, with 86 wickets at 16.25 each. Two years later he trailed only Waqar, with 83 at 19.68. He has already taken over 600 first-class wickets and has been averaging over 100 victims in a calendar year since 1989 - his 300th came in 1990, 400th in 1991, 500th in 1992 and 600th last year. The move up to Test cricket proved no problem, at least not at first. He became the first South African in the new era to take 50 Test wickets and he got there in only his 11th Teat, a strike rate of more than four a game. In South Africa's first win over India he took seven wickets in an innings and 12 in the match. Donald is no workhorse and Warwickshire (he returns there next year and has married a girl from Birmingham) used him shrewdly, in devastating bursts of four or five overs. With the amount of international cricket, particularly one-day games, being played by South Africa the dangers to Donald are immense. Even with Procter as coach and Peter Pollock as chairman of selectors, burn-out may not be more than three or four years away. But against England this summer it should not be a problem. South Africa's support bowling may look relatively harmless. England batsmen may comfort themselves with the fact that Fanie de Villiers took just 25 wickets for Kent in 1990, at almost 40 each, and came close to giving up the game. Richard Snell did no better at Somerset in 1992, with 27 wickets at 44. But today they look different bowlers. De Villiers, 29, and from Northern Transvaal, used to be considered as little more than a one-day bowler. But he bowled South Africa to a memorable Test win over Australia by five runs in Sydney earlier this year. He took six for 43 in Australia's second innings and had match figures of 10 for 123. He has overcome back trouble and an eye injury suffered in a chemical explosion. When South Africa re- turned to the international stage he responded by paying his own fare to England where he fought back to fitness playing for Tor- quay in the Devon League. Procter says: "Fanie swings the ball both ways, mainly away, and hits the seam. I know he had a bad time here in county cricket four years ago but that was the so- called Year of the Bat, when the wickets were flat and so was the seam on the ball." Craig Matthews, 29, and from Western Province, is only fast medium but has established himself in the Test side and took five wickets in an innings against Australia at New- lands. Procter says: "Craig is a good line and length bowler. He also has a high action and he should be suited to English condi- tions." Richard Snell is 25 and plays for Transvaal. He made a remarkable start to his Test career when he took eight wickets against the West Indies in Barbados in 1991-92. Procter says: "Richard is a tall, awkward fast bowler who can move the ball both ways. He missed selections for some Tests but had a good tour of Sri Lanka." Brian McMillan, 30, is a giant all-rounder and plays for Western Province. Warwickshire signed him as a fast bowler in 1986 and he finished top of their batting averages. He is also a good slip fielder. Procter says: "Brian has looked good with bat and ball on this tour and gives the team the balance every Test side likes to have." They could be South Africa's Famous Five by the end of the tour. And given the fact that they all play with the aggressive confidence which seems such a natur- al commodity in that country, Graeme Hick and Robin Smith could be in for even more tortures. That's assuming they get to the starting line. (Extract from an article by Paul Weaver in The Sunday Telegraph) Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu)