from news24 September 27, 2002 (thanks Jenny)
Shaun Pollock deserves bouquets and not brickbats after South Africa's narrow
defeat to India last week, says former South African cricket coach Bob Woolmer.
He said the criticism against Pollock was unfounded and reflected a lack of
insight into the causes of the defeat.
India beat South Africa by ten runs last Wednesday in the semi-final of the
Champions Trophy in Colombo after the South Africans needed only 70 runs from 13
overs with nine wickets in hand.
At that stage a one-sided South African victory looked inevitable, but when
Herschelle Gibbs had to withdraw with dehydration and cramps, the South African
innings crumbled.
In the unforgiving postmortem, Pollock came in for some heavy criticism for
allegedly being a stereotypical and predictable captain.
However, Woolmer said that in his view Pollock did a fantastic job. In
Warwickshire where Woolmer is the coach, the consensus was that Pollock had a
good cricketing brain and that he was sharp on the field.
"He was smothered in his development as South African captain. This cannot be
blamed on the former coach, Graham Ford," Woolmer said.
According to him Pollock's captaincy is likely to develop further with Omar
Henry as convenor of selectors and Eric Simons as coach.
South Africa lost to India as a result of making some judgment errors late in
their run chase to the Indian total of 261. One of these errors was not to send
in a pinch-hitter when Gibbs left the field.
"Herschelle (116 from 116 balls) batted fantastically at a rate of a run a ball.
Jacques batted at a rate of 60 runs off a 100 balls. Together their scoring rate
was at 80 runs off 100 balls.
"When they did not send in a pinch-hitter and the wickets started going down
fast, Jacques was in two minds on whether to risk his wicket and up the tempo or
whether to try and bat through. Make no mistake, India bowled well, but we
should have sent in a pinch-hitter," Woolmer said.
He added that there was no need to talk about a crisis in one-day cricket. "It
is not necessary to hit the panic button. Our fielding has improved a lot and
fitness is at a high level".