Altus Momberg

Cape Town – Despite struggles and controversy that dogged South African cricket last week the Proteas landed in India on Sunday with the core of their squad in very good form.

While the form of players in the local MTN40-series is not necessarily a pointer to success on conditions in India, the fact that a number of players are brimming with confidence will please caretaker coach Corrie van Zyl.

He has taken the reins since Mickey Arthur’s decision to resign and there has been much speculation why it happened and that may affect South Africa’s focus negatively in the coming month.

However, the Proteas get the chance in Nagpur from Tuesday to focus solely on cricket when they play a training game against an Indian Board XI. The first Test starts in the same city on Saturday.
          
Ashwell Prince and Jacques Kallis shone in the recent MTN40 knockout games, while young swing bowler Wayne Parnell was also one of the Warriors’ heroes in their march to their first trophy as a regional team.

JP Duminy and AB de Villiers also performed well for their respective regional teams (Cape Cobras and the Titans) that lost in the semifinals.

The best news over the last two weeks has been Prince’s form. The Proteas’ opening batsman experienced a nightmare series against England and only scored 97 runs in seven innings’.

However, Prince scored 48 against the Cobras in the semifinal and a breathtaking 128 in the final against the Dolphins.

The quality of the bowling was not on a par with that in the series against England, but it was still good to see him regain his confidence.

His footwork was not as tentative as in the recent Test series, while his timing was also excellent.

Kallis was the player who ensured that the targets that the Warriors set against the Cobras and Titans was sufficient.

The all-round star also excelled against England with two centuries and a fifty. He will again be the rock in the South African batting order.

The batsmen will approach the match against the Board XI with confidence, but the bowlers will also be out to immediately build on their form in the last Test against England.

Morné Morkel and Dale Steyn took 14 wickets between them in that Test.

With Parnell also back to his best, the only question is whether spinner Paul Harris will be able to regain his form of the last few years. He was omitted for the last Test against England.