Date-stamped : 12 Oct97 - 18:08
12th October 1997

SA Consider their spin doctors

By Iqbal Khan

South Africa have quickly realised they will have to play both 
spinners if they hope to win a test in this three-match series 
against Pakistan. 

If they want to win either of the remaining tests - the second is
at Sheikhupura and the third at Faisalabad's Iqbal Stadium - they
have to bowl out Pakistan.  And this cannot be achieved with a 
four-man seam attack and one spinner. 

Pitches in Pakistan are spinner-friendly, and left-arm wrist 
spinner Paul Adams has to come into the selection equation. 

Adams sat out the drawn first test in Rawalpindi last week, but 
will surely come into the reckoning for the two remaining games, 
particularly after the way Pat Symcox and the Pakistan pair, 
Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq, bowled at the Pindi Stadium. 

In the Pakistan first innings Symcox took two for 130 off 46 
overs and sent down just over a quarter of the 162.5 overs 
bowled by South Africa. In the Pakistan second innings Symcox 
took two for 56 off 16 overs. 

For Pakistan, Mushtaq and Saqlain took eight of the 10 South 
African wickets to fall during the tourists’ single innings. 
Saqlain, the pick of the spinners in the match, claimed five 
for 129 off 62 overs and Mushtaq took three for 126 off 58.5 
overs.

Going into the test at Sheikhupura, beginning on Friday, with a 
four-pronged seam attack comprised of Allan Donald, Shaun 
Pollock, Brian McMillan and Lance Klusener, could prove futile 
on a pitch which Waqar Younis, the Pakistan fast bowler, 
describes as a "mud-patch".
 
"Spinners will be the key there," said Waqar. "The batsmen will 
once again have a ball and we seamers will be sidelined from the
action."

Waqar added: Wasim scored a magnificent 257 not out against 
Zimbabwe in the last test we played there and the pitch is not 
going to be any different. 

"It's meant for the spinners and I believe they will come out on
top.

There is talk of Akram returning for the second test and through
the grapevine it has been learned that leg-spinner Ali Hussain 
Rizvi, who took 11 for 146 against South Africa for the Combined 
XI in Karachi, could be in the home side's line up. 

While Pakistan are looking at the prospect of playing at least 
two, if not three, spinners, there is every possibility of South 
Africa following suit.

Hansie Cronje acknowledged this. "Looking at this wicket (Pindi
Stadium) and the next one at Sheikhupura," he said, "we might 
even think of playing two spinners rather than four seamers and 
one spin bowler."

The South Africans, who are involved in a three-day game in 
Peshawar which began today, will announce their squad on 
Thursday. 

Pakistan, in the meantime, are due to announce their squad later 
today and will include Wasim Akram in their squad. 

The captaincy is expected to stay with Saeed Anwar, even though 
he is reluctant to continue carrying the responsibility because 
it is hampering his batting form.

Source:: The Sunday Independent

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