We don't want to be playing catch-up cricket: Domingo

While declaring that South Africa were ready for the Super Eights challenge, team’s assistant coach Russel Domingo stressed on the importance of a good start to their campaign which begins with their Group 2 tie against Pakistan here on Friday.

 “I think in T20 cricket, things can change in a ball or an over, so we really want to make sure we start the Super Eights well,” said Domingo on Wednesday. “We don’t want to be playing catch-up cricket. In saying that, there are so many things that can affect the result in a Twenty20 game of cricket. We just want to focus on our skills and our processes and not worry too much about the result as such,” he remarked.

 Domingo conceded Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal poses a big threat to South Africans. “Obviously we will discuss him a little bit over the next couple of days,” he noted. “Guys have worked hard over their skills against spin not just over the last couple of days but over the last couple of weeks. It’s going to be important at these stages of the competition. I think it is very individual plan according to what game plan your batters employ.

 “Some guys might sweep, some might use their feet, some might go deep in their crease. It’s very different to each player and that’s the beauty of our batting line-up. We have got a lot of variety and different sets of skills in our batting order. The guys can use their feet, guys who can sweep, guys who can reverse sweep, so we have got some really good options against spinners.”

 Domingo didn’t feel his side has to make much adjustment between Hambantota and here. “I was just saying physically it is going to be a lot tougher here because it’s a lot warmer.

Strangely enough, everybody seems to think it will be warmer in Hambantota but definitely it has been warmer here in Colombo than in Hambantota. The wicket in Hambantota had quite a bit of pace in it and had a lot of grass on it. Here, it looks a lot barren but the groundsman says there might be pace in it. We will have to see, there might be a slight adjustment in the game depending on how the wicket is likely to play,” he elaborated.