Australia in South Africa, 2005-06

Warne talks golf and three-day Tests

Cricinfo staff

March 23, 2006

Shane Warne took only three wickets at Cape Town, and is happy to get none at Durban if Australia win easily © Getty Images

Shane Warne's teasing of South Africa has increased ahead of the second Test at Durban with him talking about playing golf on days four and five of the match. Australia won the first game inside nine sessions and Warne said a similar result was possible in the game starting on Friday.

"We've obviously got a psychological advantage being a spinner against those guys, with the record that I've got against South Africa and the prospect of even playing two with Stuart MacGill," Warne told AAP. "If we go into those sort of situations and they're telling groundsmen to water [the pitch], then we've got a psychological advantage straight away before a ball is bowled."

Warne, who has 118 wickets at 24.04 against the Proteas, said he was not big-noting and if the surface suited the seamers - with or without South African influence on the groundsman - he would happily take a back seat. "If they want to juice it up and negate me, I'll take my 0 for 40 and we win in three days," he said. "That means a series win and a couple of days of golf. I'll take it every time."

The pitch at Durban has a strong grass covering and is expected to suit swing bowling, reducing MacGill's chances of playing. "You wouldn't think they'd be looking for anything like that this time," Ricky Ponting said of South Africa. "If this wicket ends up being a seamer as well it will be interesting to see how they go with that. I think it just goes to show their fear of the spinners that we do have in our side."

Australia's team will be decided late on Thursday, but Ponting said he did not expect many switches from the first Test unless the pitch changed. Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Michael Kasprowicz are almost certain to start alongside Warne after their success at Cape Town.

Shaun Pollock is fit for South Africa and will be a major weapon for the home side as it attempts to level the three-match series. They will also be looking for a strong performance from Jacques Kallis, who made 6 and 36 in the first Test.

Kallis told AAP he had no problems with a pitch suiting the hosts and also said the team did not fear Warne. "You use your home-town advantage to ask for what type of wicket," he said. "I think everybody does it around the world.

"Warne is a world-class bowler. We don't fear him but we respect him. The guys realise that he's there for entertainment and he always comes up with statements. It creates a laugh or two. We realise what he's trying to do and how he's trying to effect the way you play the game."

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Stories

Pollock passed fit for Durban

Players/Umpires

Jacques Kallis

Ricky Ponting

Shane Warne

Series/Tournaments

Australia tour of South Africa

Teams

Australia

South Africa