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Allan Border confident of Australia beating South Africa on tour
Border says bowlers good enough to beat South Africa, hopes batting will lift its performance.
Published: Jan 07, 2014, 11:46 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 08, 2014, 11:19 AM (IST)
Jan 7, 2014
Former Australian skipper Allan Border on Tuesday said that he was confident of Australia beating South Africa in their own backyard when the Aussies tour to the rainbow nation in February.
I don’t see any reason why we can’t beat South Africa in February. They’re a very good team but we’ve had some really good series against them in recent times. They’re not going to blow us away and with the guys in the form they are in I can see us doing well over there, I really can. I think the pitches will suit us, I think our spinner is better than their spinner,” Border wrote in his column for Australian Cricket Family letter.
Elaborating his views on the ample reserves in the pace department, Border said it’s good to have them but he would prefer with the same combination which won the Ashes. “I would be playing the same side, too. You’ve got to look at some of the other quicks like James Pattinson, Doug Bollinger and Nathan Coulter-Nile. All those guys will come into the frame, but that’s a good thing that we’ve got these guys waiting in the wings, pushing for opportunities. I don’t think bowling is going to be the issue, we’ve got some really good bowling stocks at the moment,” he said.
Border highlighted that it is the batting department which is of main concern. Goerge Bailey in particular has not fared well in the Ashes but Border feels he needs to get an extended run.
“The batsman most under pressure is George Bailey, but I’m a big fan of not fooling with form. It would be hard for a spare batsman to come in from absolutely no cricket to playing against South Africa in the second or third Test. I get the feeling the selectors will stick with George Bailey for a little bit longer,” Border said. He also added that Phil Hughes deserves a place in the touring side.
The series against South Africa will begin on February 12 with a three-Test series followed by a Twenty20 series.
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