Hashim Amla well prepared for exciting series against England – Cricket News Update
South African batsman, Hashim Amla, says that his team is well prepared for the upcoming battles against England, terming the series as exciting considering the added incentive that lies for the winning side.
The touring Proteas will have chance to dethrone Poms from their current no.1 ranked Test status, provided they win the three-match series, which begins on July 19 at the Oval.
“Both teams are well-matched," he said."I'm expecting it to be a good, very exciting series with a lot to play for from the rankings perspective.
Certainly, there is little to choose between the two sides, considering the quality both have in their ranks. The respective batting departments have some big names with Proteas having the luxury of experienced personnel in Jacques Kallis, Amla and a fit again Test skipper Graeme Smith. The middle-order than comprises of AB de Villiers, arguably the most versatile player of his generation.
In comparison, the Poms have the services of inform opening pair in Captain Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, followed by Jonathan Trott, along with the revived Ian Bell and a refreshed Kevin Pietersen.
The bowling attack has an equal match with the tourists relying on Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel, while the hosts have seasoned campaigners in James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan. The bench strength, the likes of Lonwabo Tsotsobe for the visitors and Englishman Steve Finn, further gives balance.
The Proteas’ preparations have dealt a mental blow following the retirement of veteran keeper, Mark Boucher but given de Villiers’ stature, they have a tailor-made replacement.
All such factors add up to a fascinating contest, where the winning team will surely do justice to the no.1 Test status. Amla reckons that the experience of playing under English conditions further puts his side in good space and has backed his teammate to deliver with the bat.
"We've played against most of the players anyway, so we're just going to try to keep things simple and enjoy the challenge. That's the beauty of a tour like this. A lot of our batters have played here before, have played county cricket, so this is not foreign territory for us. A lot of emphasis has been placed on the bowling attacks, but we've also got to score runs,” he added.
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