September 25 Wednesday 2002
Donald bids to outfox India's batsmen

COLOMBO: South African fast bowler Allan Donald feels he has the key to unravel India's strong batting line-up when the two sides clash in the first ICC Champions Trophy semifinal on Wednesday (today).

The 35-year-old will complete 150 One-day Internationals in Colombo if the 1998 champions reach the final, but that will happen only if their fast bowlers stop the Indian batsmen on a slow Premadasa Stadium pitch. "They are a very good batting line-up, specially in Sri Lanka," Donald said. "In any place, even in India or Pakistan, they are going to be quite devastating."

Donald, who has taken 250 one-day wickets at 21.32 apiece, felt pace alone might not do the trick. "As a bowler, you've got to mix it up with pace. It is going to take a huge effort, a skillful effort, for us to pull it off."

India have looked a tremendously confident side after opener Virender Sehwag lashed 126 in only 104 balls in an eight-wicket win over England to top Pool 2 on Sunday. Sehwag raised a 192-run opening partnership with skipper Sourav Ganguly, who was equally devastating to finish with 117 not out, as they dominated England's pace attack.

Donald will play today despite a painful ankle which requires injections every six months. The problem to his landing foot flared up during this 12-team event and he was rested for the second Pool 3 win over Kenya, but Donald has put off the next dose of injection until returning home, instead taking pain-killers and having his ankle taped.

"There has been pain, but it goes away. I bowled in the nets yesterday and there was no problem," he said. Donald has quit Test cricket to preserve himself until next year's World Cup, to be held in South Africa in February-March.