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Cape Town - The opposition should be on a timely warning if they encounter the Cape Cobras during the Champions League Twenty20.
They can expect carrom balls from both ends, reports the supersport.com website.
Both the international offspinner Dane Piedt and the South African left-arm spinner Robin Peterson can deliver the ball that is flicked between the thumb and the bent middle finger and is known in parts of India as the sodukku ball.
A rejuvenated Peterson, who was a key to Surrey’s run all the way to the T20 Blast finals, said he is bowling the carrom ball much better now than when he trapped Zaheer Khan in front with a so-called googly in the third Test in Durban in December 2013.
"Both Dane and I have been working on it.
"I can regularly bowl that delivery now and I also used it in England," he said.
Peterson was dropped from the South African team following the defeat to Australia at SuperSport Park, but the 35-year old allrounder said he is not focusing on the national team right now.
"The SA team is so good that they wouldn’t want to change the squad right now.
"But frankly, my focus is on the Cobras and on winning trophies for them," he added.
Mental fatigue possibly contributed to his loss of form at international level, he admitted. For the last two years he almost played, trained and travelled non-stop, and it did impact on his on-the-field feats.
"I was suffering (mentally) because of too much cricket.
"I was just playing too much.
"Right now, I am in a good space.
"On the pre-season tour of the Cobras (to Potchefstroom and Johannesburg) I bowled with great rhythm.
"I’m also striking the ball beautifully," he added.
Peterson took 10 wickets for Surrey at an average of 35.20 in the T20-competition in England and also helped them to get to the final with a superb late cameo of 24 as they beat Worcesterhire by three wickets.
One of Peterson’s greatest assets is his tremendous ability as a lower-order batsman and occasional opener in all the formats.
He represented the Eastern Province men in hockey as an 18-year old and also played SA Schools.
Robbie P, as he is affectionately called by his teammates, has a wristy approach to batting and regularly uses the reverse sweep and even the switch hit to smash bowlers.
"I don’t practice that much, but it is possibly something I got from the hockey," he added.
Peterson said the loss of Dale Steyn would impact the Cobras during the Champions League Twenty20.
"Not too many people are writing us up, but our focus will be on the first two games.
"If we win it, we have a good chance of getting to the playoffs," he added.
