November 1998 (thanks Cindy)
So much has been written about Shaun McLean Pollock since he burst onto the
international scene that when we sat down for a chat during Natal's Supersport
clash against Griqua's I wondered whether there was anything left to ask him.
His cricket life, after all has been an open book. We've read or watched
everything from the man-of-the-match one-day international début against
England at Newlands, to that tremendously courageous bowling performance in
Adelaide - and more recently the glory of gold at the Commonwealth Games.
Hell, even when his favorite bat was nabbed at Kingsmead a couple of weeks ago,
his offer of a R1000 award grabbed the headlines.
With batting average well into the thirties and a bowling one that hovers
consistently around the 23 mark, it is little wonder that he is rated as one of
the top three all-rounders in the game today.
In keeping with his usual modest declarations, the ginger-haired speedster
admits that although the tag is flattering, he doesn't pay too much attention to
the stats. ''We're always being told about the stats so you can't really ignore
them,'' he says. But 1 try just to get out there and play rather than worrying
about it too much.
I think that perhaps we use the ender too loosely. I really enjoy my batting and
would like to bat higher up in the limited-over games but at this at this point
I don't think that I would be in the side just for my batting."
It has been a frustrating six weeks for Pollock, a puzzling lower back injury
prevented him from making a contribution in the tournament in Bangladesh and has
had him hurrying to prove his fitness before the start of the West Indies
campaign.
'In a way l've enjoyed the rest but it gets irritating when you're injured and
all you can do is sit around and watch. I'm not really one who likes watching
from the sidelines. Still, it's hard to get away from it. You're at home with
nothing to do, the game's on 'IV and then you just end up watching.''
That the allrounder has vital part to play in this summer's challenges goes
without saying.
Any Test series win is important but a victory against the Windies will go a
long way to dispelling a growing notion that Hansie Cronje's men may rule the
roost in limited overs but are starting to approach "also ran" status
in their bid to best Test nation in the world.
''Obviously we're all looking forward to the Windies tour. Of course playing in
front of a home crowd will be nice, it seems like ages since we've done that.
On a personal note it's going to be quite a challenge. I've played against some
of the guys in some limited-overs games and at county level but a Test series is
a different story."
With the unavailability of our top speedsters (Lance Klusener since Old
Trafford, Allan Donald missed the Commonweath Games and Bangladesh experiences
while Pollock missed Bangladesh) has come the realization that perhaps our fast
bowling cupboard isn't exactly bursting at the hinges.
True there are a few promising youngsters around and Alan Dawson and Steve
Elworthy did much to bring back the spoils from Dhaka, but we all know how far
removed the one day game is from Test cricket.
''Ja, it sometimes looks like we have no reserves,'' admits Pollock. ''But the
guys are definitely out there ... they just have to start putting in the
performances. You remember when Swinger (Dave Richardson) retired? We all kept
saying who will take his place. And now look - there are at least three guys who
could do the job.
''You know what would be nice, was if Brett Schultz was fit. Then we could have
some fun. And don't ask me why he keeps breaking down.
I'm hardly the one to answer that with all my injuries recently,'' he laughs.
The next six months will be a testing time for the Ginger Ninja (a nickname the
Aussies loved, by the way).
The South Africans leave for a series in New Zealand in February and after that
it's off to the World Cup in England..
Pollock knows that he will shoulder much of the responsibility. In Adelaide he
showed that he was equal to the task. He charged in hour after hour in the
searing heat to take 7/87. In all he bowled more than 70 overs to give his team
a chance at leveling the series.
That is a lot of work for a spinner, never mind someone who has to bowl sharpish
accurate fast medium in 42 degree heat.
And in Malaysia he showed us that he can indeed lead a team of talented,
strong-minded personalities. Commonwealth captain, there were a few murmurs of
surprise. His only other captaincy experience had been a brief stint at school
and Dale Benkenstein has supposedly been groomed to take over from Cronjé. But
Polly reveled in the added responsibility.
''I really enjoyed it," he says earnestly. "It takes a few games to
get used to it but by the end I was really starting to get into it. There were
some really tense moments (remember the sight of Polly chewing his fingers to
the bone while Nicky Bojé and Dawson pulled off that remarkable win over Sri
Lanka in the semi's) but it was great.
After playing under Hansie for so long, you kind of get influenced by his style
but as the time goes on you start to try your own thing. I'm not making a bid
for the job just yet, though ...''
Pollock reckons that he's changed a bit since his début three summers ago. He's
never lacked in the confidence stakes but the mischievious glint off the field
has been replaced by a steely one on it.
You definitely pick up things as you go along.
I think I've matured a lot ... both on and off the field. Cricket is my job, my
life And you are always watching, thinking and planning ...
''There is a small part of me that is private though.
''You can't know EVERYTHING about me,'' he adds jokingly.
Hmmm, I'm not so sure about that.