Want to take reverse swing to another level, says Allan Donald

The 49-year-old Donald, was on Thursday, confirmed as Australia’s bowling coach only for their tour of Sri Lanka that includes three Tests, five ODIs and two T20 Internationals in that order.

Speaking to cricket.com.au, Donald, nicknamed ‘White Lightning’ said: “Playing in the sub-continent, whether it is India, Sri Lanka or wherever, from the Test match point of view, using that new ball and using it very very well and bowling with discipline is the key. You read the conditions, not only the pitch conditions but also the heat that players will encounter.
“Reverse swing is massive in the sub-continent. I have played enough against Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis (two of the finest exponents of reverse swing from Pakistan) and know what it takes, what sort of skills, discipline and patience are needed to execute it. That is going to be a massive key. I want to take reverse swing to another level in terms of implementing it.

Allan Donald, Australia bowling coach

The Australians have done it well and I want to take it a lot further in terms of the art of reverse swing. Winning away from home and being able to take 20 wickets need discipline and skill, and reverse swing is going to be the key.”

Donald will also be keen to identify the bowling leaders within the Australian unit and is “really excited at the new challenge” of working with head coach Darren Lehmann.
The bowling coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, has worked with Australian spearhead Mitchell Starc in the past. Starc, who has been out of action since suffering a  stress fracture in his left foot late last year and subsequently underwent an ankle surgery, is eyeing a return to international cricket with the Lanka tour.

Donald said: “I have been with Mitch at the RCB and I always judge people on how they lead with the ball. He is a very highly skilled individual and showed it in the World Cup (2015). With the new ball and the old ball, he is ferocious. At RCB, when he has bowled at the death, he is hard to stop. With those guys, first of all, I need to identify the leaders in the group and you see (James) Pattinson, Starc, (Josh) Hazlewood them a lot of them on TV. I know Mitchell as an individual and also a leader with the ball. It’s about getting to know them a little bit. It is about how many leaders you can create within the bowling group, no matter how experienced you are.”

Donald’s appointment is only for the tour of Sri Lanka, where he has played three Tests and scalped 12 wickets, and five ODIs for nine wickets.
To a question on how much has fast bowling changed over the years, Donald, who has taken 330 wickets in 72 Tests and 272 sticks from 164 ODIs between 1991 and 2003, said:

Allan Donald ,

As batting has developed in T20 cricket, that has certainly taken bowling to a new level. You have seen how exciting and aggressive Test cricket has become. With the advent of T20 cricket, it forces you to be aggressive in T20 cricket and you are able to take it to the longer format. That’s why I think Test cricket has become a good thing to watch. Batters have become very aggressive and there is no respect for good balls anymore. That has taken that positivity into Test cricket from the bowling point of view. You are always forced to be creative in your thinking and that’s what you try to do playing on flat decks, coming up with good ideas. It makes you come out with new things and that changes the game quickly.”

A fierce competitor during his playing days, the second highest wicket-taker for South Africa in ODIs will not take time to adjust to the Australian set-up, even though it is for a brief while.
“For me as an international cricketer playing cricket a lot against Australia, one thing I have a lot of respect for is the way Australians played cricket. They are not hesitating to give it a crack. They are always willing to take risk while giving it a crack,” he said. “For me, it is an opportunity to spend some time with Australian culture. I understand the Australian culture. Being part of that now is something very special and humbling for me,” Donald said.

Meanwhile, former India left-handed batsman Sridharan Sriram will join the Australian support staff as the fielding consultant only for the Test leg of the Sri Lanka tour.
Sriram has worked in the past with the Australia ‘A’ when they toured India last year and also with the Australian main team before and during the ICC World T20 recently. “Sri was a great addition to our coaching group in South Africa (T20Is before ICC WT20) and provided a terrific perspective for our players,” Lehmann said in a release on Thursday. “His knowledge of sub-continental conditions will also be an added bonus for us.”
Another addition to the Australian support staff is former all-rounder Stuart Law, who will be the batting coach for the Test component of the Sri Lanka tour.

guru.krishnan@dnaindia.net