'I Am A Better Bowler Now'

Having got into the side after a long hiatus,leg-spinner Paul Adams, who suddenly finds himself a key member of theinexperienced South African bowling attack, is devising strategies to containthe Indian batsmen when the two sides meet in a TVS Cup match onFriday.

"All you have to do is to keep it simple. Bowl atthe right areas and hope that the batsman makes a mistake," said Adams, whowas not in the team for South Africa's first match against India which thelatter won by 153 runs last weekend.

Despite his team earning the reputation of being a goodfast bowling side over the years, Adams said as a spinner he was confident ofcoming out successful against India.

"A spinner needs a bit of confidence. It's all aquestion of confidence and bowling according to the situation. I just try andstick to the basics," said the bowler with a very unorthodox action.

Adams, who returned to the team after a longinjury lay-off, replaced spinner Robin Peterson in the match against Bangladeshand finished with one for 42 in 10 overs.

Adams rated Indian master blaster Sachin Tendulkar asthe best batsman in the world and said no bowler could tie him down because he has"such an amazing range of shots".

"It's not easy to bowl to him because he hits thegood balls to the boundary. You never know where to pitch the ball to him.

Adams said despite the long break he had matured to handle the pressure atinternational level.

"Every spinner matures with age and learns withevery match. I feel I am a much better bowler now and will keep improving if Iget the opportunities," he said in an interview here.

The post-World Cup transition phase in South Africa hasmeant that the team has a relatively inexperienced bowling attack, barring ShaunPollock and Makhaya Ntini, and Adams sees this as the biggest opportunity toestablish himself as a regular member of the squad by picking up wickets.

"Every team goes through a transition phase. Weall have to stick together and back each other at this stage. Till we get theexperience, the senior players have to guide the youngsters and spread theknowledge," the diminutive spinner said.

The 26-year-old Adams felt new captain Graeme Smithhad the capability of leading the South African resurgence and said havingplayed with Smith for the same state will be a big help for him.

"Graeme is a positive character and has new ideas.He strongly believes that he can do the job for the country. He is also ahard-working guy, so we all have to support him," he said.

"We must not panic if we lose a few matches atthis stage. The South African public don't like the team losing. But everybodymust be patient," he said.

Adams, who was not in the World Cup squad because of the back injury which kepthim out of cricket for nearly five months, said the bitter memories of the WorldCup was behind the team now.

"I think playing at home put too much pressure onthe team during the World cup and it could not recover after the defeat in thevery first match. When we did badly, panic buttons were pushed and a lot ofnegative things were being written. I think that affected the team," hesaid.

Terming late Hansie Cronje as the best South Africancaptain he had played under, Adams said it was a good learning experience forplayers who played with him.

"Guys who have played under him have learnt alot." Adams, whose peculiar bowling style often baffles the batsmen, saidhe had been bowling with a "funny" action since his childhood and hadno intentions of changing his style now.

"Many people find my action a bit funny. Butthat's how I have been bowling since childhood. Some of the coaches tried tochange it, but I am comfortable with this action.

PTI