Injury-stricken South Africa will turn to a corporate psychologist to help them prepare for their first Test against Australia in Perth next Friday.
South African coach Mickey Arthur confirmed that Johannesburg-based psychologist Francois Hugo is due to arrive in Perth on Wednesday.
Arthur said Hugo is normally employed to advise banks on the dynamics of mergers and takeovers, but he has been useful to the team in the past.
”He was very prominent at our team-building camps before the start of the season,” Arthur said. ”He was with us when we did all our goal-setting regarding what we wanted for the season.
”The guys have related to him — he’s going to come in and do one or two team sessions and we have a theme that we want to talk on.”
Although he did not say what the theme is, it has been widely reported that the South Africans have concerns about brilliant Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.
Warne has an outstanding record against the Proteas with 101 wickets at an average of 22,35 in 18 Tests with six five-wicket hauls. It is his best strike-rate against any country other than Pakistan.
The Australians have also ruffled the South Africans in the past with verbal abuse known as ”sledging”. Current captain Graeme Smith has previously claimed he was abused by Australian players during his Test debut.
The South Africans have not beaten Australia in a Test series since they were re-admitted to international cricket in 1991.
”We want to prepare our guys fully and then he’ll be around and we’ll just let the guys use him,” Arthur said. ”The guys that want to use him will have the benefit of his time at any stage leading up to the Test match.
”We feel he has been beneficial and we are hoping he will bring something good before the Test series for us.”
The South Africans, who have injury worries regarding Smith, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and bowlers Nicky Boje and Charl Langeveldt, were thrashed in their opening three-day tour match against Western Australia.
That match was played at the fast and bouncy Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, which will also host the first Test.
They had more success in a one-day festival match on Friday, defeating a Western Australian Chairman’s XI by eight wickets, but have still had a far from ideal preparation for the three-Test series. — Sapa-AFP