Allan Donald keen on making an impression as New Zealand bowling coach
Former South African fast bowler Allan Donald, widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of modern times, is excited at the opportunity of coaching the New Zealand team that has hired his services as
bowling coach.
Donald, known as ‘White Lightning’ in his playing days due to his searing pace and bounce, is in New Zealand to coach the pacers who are part of the squad for the series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 and the World Cup set
to start in the Indian subcontinent next month.
He added that he was looking forward to the job as he is excited at the prospect of making a difference to a team that has struggled of late at the highest level.
"This is an opportunity I have been waiting for, and I know I'm coming into a side which has had a few problems in one-day cricket but I feel I can help with the bowlers," said Donald. "The big thing I always
focus on is attitude and intensity and that all started at the training ground.
"You can't expect miracles and we need to discuss this as a bowling group, I need to find out from them about what their thoughts are and what they're lacking, where we can improve. But I've got to try and find
a way to inspire. I grew up in a South African set-up where I knew what I was going to get from the guy at the other end, and I knew what I was going to get from the bowling group as a collective unit.
Donald, who took over 300 wickets in Test and ODI cricket for his team, feels that the current lot of New Zealand pacers needs guidance and more importantly role models who can make a difference. The Black Caps
have endured a wretched run in all formats of the game recently, with their last test win coming more than 11 months ago. They were beaten in a two-match Test series by Pakistan 1-0 last week and now have a grueling ODI series to play against the same team.
Donald has an enormous challenge to galvanize the fast bowling talent and the task began with the first match in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wellington-c864.
"I've played against New Zealand a lot. I felt you could pick out the individuals within the bowling unit who were going to make a difference, guys like Dion Nash and Chris Cairns, for instance. But not collectively,
and I think that's what we need to bring to the table as a collective unit, the intensity and the attitude. You can work with someone who's got a dodgy action or struggling, or injury prevention. If the fitness and strength is good then the mental aspect will
fall into it."
Since the retirement of Shane Bond, the Black Caps have struggled to make an impact in Test or ODIs especially. Bond led them to a historic Test win over Pakistan last summer, but gave in to a spate of injuries
a few days later.
Recently, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 has played a few new quicks yet none have been able to replace Bond. The most seasoned pacer in the Test format is Chris Martin, who is one short of the 200-wicket mark in the format.
In ODIs, Tim Southee and Kyle Mills lead the attack. The lanky http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mills-c76321 is more of a line and length bowler while Southee can swing the ball at a lively pace. Donald feels that the current crop of pacers needs to
be more aggressive if they are to make a real impact at the international level.
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