da apostaganha： After a potentially match-winning spell of 5 for 40 on Saturday, Sreesanth spoke to the media about how a chat with Allan Donald in the morning had helped him
Dileep Premachandran at Johannesburg16-Dec-2006
‘It was particularly nice to take [Jacques] Kallis’ wicket because I’ve watched him so much on the [TV] screen, and grew up admiring him’ – Sreesanth © AFP
Away from the field where his behaviour can be decidedly eccentric,Sreesanth exudes a certain calm. After a potentially match-winning spellof 5 for 40 on Saturday, he spoke to the media about how a chat with AllanDonald in the morning had helped him to produce the sort of spell thatmost young quick bowlers fantasise about.”This is like a dream come true,” he said, “but I have many more dreams toattain. We are well set, we have a very good lead and should be able towin from here.” He did qualify that by saying that the match wasn’t overyet, but the confidence which has percolated through the ranks wasunmistakable.According to him, the chat with Donald had definitely played a part. “Ireally admire him,” said Sreesanth. “Even though Dennis Lillee is my idol,I want to be like Donald. The talk definitely helped me understand whatneeds to be done here.”The prospect of talking to one of the game’s all-time greats would oncehave been an intimidating one, but after a promising start to hisinternational career, Sreesanth is no longer a wallflower. “In thebeginning, I used to be very shy,” he admitted. “Now, I have no fearsabout walking up to former greats and taking their advice.”He also admitted that the pitch had played its part in his success. “It’sa very good wicket to bowl on,” he said. “It was particularly nice to take[Jacques] Kallis’ wicket because I’ve watched him so much on the [TV] screen, andgrew up admiring him.”He started wonderfully well, with the wickets of Graeme Smith and HashimAmla, but some loose deliveries before and after lunch set the alarm bellsringing. “I wasn’t really bowling well after my first three wickets,” hesaid. “I was spraying down the leg-side, mainly because I was trying toohard.”In the lunch break, the coach and captain spoke to me and simply asked meto calm down. They wanted me to be patient and just stick to the rightline and length. That helped me tremendously and I could come and finishit off.”The mood in the dressing room, visibly alleviated by the last-wicketpartnership between VRV Singh and Sourav Ganguly, also played its part.”We have remained positive throughout,” said Sreesanth. “We had faith inourselves and in our hard work. We also decided not to think of the past;we just focused on the future.”Right now, that future appears to be as bright as the Kerala sun at theheight of summer.