Former South African fast bowler Allan Donald has joined the BLACKCAPS support team as a specialist bowling coach and blackcaps.co.nz spoke to him first to find out about what he’ll be working on with the Kiwis, why Tim Southee has caught his eye and what it means to be working with John Wright.
White Lightning – as Donald is affectionately known – arrived in New Zealand this week after discussions with BLACKCAPS coach John Wright. Donald will be overseeing the bowling stocks of the side. He’s had a long and illustrious career, taking over 300 Test wickets across a 10 year international playing career. Since his retirement from international cricket Donald has taken up a number of coaching roles and will now use his knowledge from his playing and coaching careers to help the BLACKCAPS perform during the upcoming National Bank ODI series against Pakistan and the World Cup in February.
Donald is arguably one of the best fast bowlers of the modern era. He played 72 Tests and 164 One-Day Internationals for South Africa. Along with his 330 Test wickets, he also claimed 272 ODI scalps. He did however miss the advent of Twenty20 cricket, which he believes had a negative impact on ODI bowling. “See how batting is going since Twenty20 evolved then look at the bowling. The execution of bowling in ODI cricket lacks somewhat where as the power house batting and creation of interesting shots gives the batsmen the advantage and leaves the bowling behind,” he said. “I think we can bring new skills to the table in terms of ODI cricket.”
Donald joins the BLACKCAPS until the end of the World Cup and he is focused on ensuring the BLACKCAPS bowlers are world class on the international stage. “For now my job is to focus on the six One-Day Internationals against Pakistan then help the BLACKCAPS progress through the World Cup,” Donald said. “We need to go into the World Cup with confidence and the next few weeks are going to be very important.”
To help build up that confidence in the BLACKCAPS Donald said having the right attitude is important. He’s already seen that “attitude” in New Zealand pace bowler Tim Southee and he is hoping to help the other players develop the same mind set. “When I played New Zealand I always felt there were one or two individuals who were a threat. Guys like Chris Cairns, Simon Doull and Dion Nash never took a backward step. They were brought up in an aggressive and competitive team in the mid 90s and I knew what to expect,” he said. “We need to create that environment. Hopefully I can help John (Wright) create that and if we can get four or five guys being equally aggressive then we are going places.
“Attitude is second to none. That’s what I’ve seen in Tim Southee and I like it. You need to have some dog fight in you to separate you from the others.”
Along with attitude, patience is something Donald is adamant about. He said it’s hard to teach patience, saying it is something players develop as their careers continue, however it is something they can start working on now. “Athleticism, skill, patience and fitness are all the things that make great fast bowlers,” he said. “To teach someone patience is difficult, but patience along with skill and attitude all fits into being a world class fast bowler. Patience is a crucial factor to work on.”
Donald said the secret to his personal playing success was self belief. “It’s easier said than done but this is what I’m trying to do here and to bring inspiration,” he said. “When you are dealing with international cricketers they know what they are capable of and for me I’m a shoulder to lean on and to help these guys find inspiration. I knew how to motivate myself and I understand the pressure they are under. If I can come up with ideas to inspire then my job is done.”
Like many fast bowlers Donald’s career was cut short by injury. It is something most fast bowlers will face during their career and Donald said it is important to have some down time and to look after the body to ensure injuries are limited. “Just look at the volume of cricket they are playing. They are on the road all the time and it’s important to maintain your body. You don’t have much time to recuperate so players need to find some time to get in the gym. Strength and conditioning is vital,” he said.
Being on tour can be draining – Donald knows this first hand during his days touring with South Africa. However he said he always enjoyed visiting the land of the long white cloud and is looking forward to his tour with the BLACKCAPS. “I always found New Zealand a magnificent place. It’s one of my favourite places to tour. Now, as they say, the boot is on the other foot. I’m looking forward to working the New Zealand Cricket and the BLACKCAPS. I can’t wait to get started.”
He’s also looking forward to working along side BLACKCAPS coach John Wright, someone Donald looks up to. “I’m very privileged to be working with John. I’ve known him for a long time and he’s very much a respected coach. I’m looking forward to doing my specialist coaching and learning from John. I’m very happy to be working with a guy of this stature. He’s well respected both in New Zealand and world wide, who has great success, especially with India. I look forward to being on his right shoulder,” Donald concluded.
