Chennai: Mark Boucher is carrying his boxing gloves, but the bout will be held back till after the series. Also, sledging will not leave cricket completely, ever.
That is what the South African wicketkeeper had, added to a sly wink, when asked about how and when sledging stops in the sport.
"We haven't got a briefing (from within the team) but we're all mature enough to realise what we can and cannot do," he says in a more sedate tone. "You talk about sledging, I don't think that's ever going to completely leave the game. You've got two very competitive sides playing for their country — it's always going to be there.
"Hopefully the series will be played in the right spirit of the game, I know that's what I'm going to do. It's going to be very competitive and that's what everyone wants to see. So long as everything is kept above board and played in the right spirit, there shouldn't be a problem," he stressed.
"You shouldn't overstep the mark. The match referees are going to look to make an example of things if you overstep the mark, especially with all the hype coming from the India-Australia series," he added. "Players will have to do things in a clever way to get that extra advantage but you don't want to lose this because it will take away the competitive streak."
Asked about how the South Africans would fare against India in the series, especially the spinners, Boucher was pragmatic.
"You have to find the right balance between attack and defence against the spinners. There are times when we have lacked the attacking approach against good spinners in these conditions. If the time arises maybe we will attack a bit more but for that you need get yourselves into a position in the game where you can do that."
A break at home was a bonus, Boucher believes. "Yeah, a couple of the guys have come from South Africa well rested. It wasn't so much of a physical rest but mentally it definitely helped. Now it's good to get back in the nets and hit and catch some balls. Staying at home and taking a break kept us mentally fresh."
Chennai promises to be a challenge. With lots of rain in the air, the normally sultry place promises to really try the players. "There’s a lot more humidity," Boucher says.
"It's going to take one or two days to get used to, but it's nothing that we haven't experienced before. Hopefully the ice baths will be working and the boys will lose a little weight on this tour.
| Ads by Google |
| Ads by Google | ||
