Adam Bacher, the young Transvaal opening batsman, who made his test debut for RSA at Kingsmead versus India was interviewed on December 28, 1996 on IRC channel #crickettalk from the press box in Kingsmead. Ros Brodie conducted the interview with assistance from Alak Chakravorty (azzie on IRC) as the channel moderator.

azzie: Hi Adam, welcome. How does it feel to be playing your first test match?

Bacher: Unbelievable feeling...lifelong dream finally come true.

azzie: Was it a surprise for you to be picked for the first test?

Bacher: It was a surprise, especially after I heard that Andrew Hudson was to be in the squad. I never thought I'd come in as a no. 3, thought I'd be an opener, so it was a surprise.

azzie: So you must be pleased to have played a good knock here to justify the selectors faith?

Bacher: I put no pressure on myself...it was a tough wicket to bat on... so in the end I was really happy to get 50... but my main aim was just to enjoy my first test regardless of how I did. And I loved it...will love it even more if we win. And we will win!

Amol: What would your preferred spot be? Would you rather remain a #3, or move up a spot?

Bacher: Amol, at the start of my career in the tests, I really don't mind, but my preferred spot is opening the batting.

chan: India got out for 100...is the pitch unplayable? Or just poor batting by the Indians? Which bowler did you feel was the more difficult to handle, Srinath or Prasad? Congrats for a good 50.

Bacher: Chan, it was definitely not an unplayable pitch...but the bowling was a very very high quality, especially Donald, and the Indian batsmen were never given a chance to settle down at all. Definitely Srinath is harder to handle than Prasad.

Putter: You were batting very well till you were unexpectedly out. Rate your confidence level during your strike against Srinath and Prasad. And how would you rate them as bowlers?

Bacher: I was very confident against Srinath and Prasad but it was a sort of wicket where you had to be very patient and be prepared to play and miss because the ball was moving a lot.

Bacher: Srinath is a world class bowler...he hits the seam very often.. and he gives you very few loose balls. Prasad is a good bowler, but he is not in the same class as Srinath.

Kapil: For a comparative evaluation of Srinath and Prasad, if you give Donald 10 in a 1-10 scale, how much would you give to Srinath and Prasad as overall bowlers.

Bacher: Srinath: 8. Prasad: 6.

Ros: The 94/95 domestic season was a really good one for you...averaged 47.. then last season you seemed to struggle... what did you do to come back to such good form this season?

Bacher: I had a really good first season. I put a bit too much pressure on myself in the second season to do well. I thought I had a chance to make the national side, second season bowlers usually work out where to bowl to you, whereas in the first season you are an unknown quantity. I didn't enjoy the last season because I put too much pressure on myself. This season, I decided to enjoy myself...and play positive entertaining cricket.

Phaedrus: Adam thank you for your time. Do you think that there are likely to be more black cricketers in the RSA squad soon and what is the current team doing, as a team, to promote cricket ? (congratulations by the way)

Bacher: I think that the black players should be allowed to develop at their own pace. Its unrealistic to think that we're going to get players from the township coming into the test team in the next 5 years...they just need to be given their own time to learn the culture of the game, not get put under any pressure.

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Date-stamped : 28 Feb1999 - 11:25