Donald's big brotherly advice helping South Africa bowlers

Cape Town, Dec 20 (ANI): Allan Donald is like the big, elder brother for the South African bowlers and his advice to Vernon Philander, going through a purple patch, and Morne Morkel, in the midst of a slump, is certainly getting results for them.

As one of the greatest fast bowlers the game has seen, Donald, who took 330 wickets in 72 Tests at 22.25, said: "I'm not here to teach them how to bowl. It's all about the attitude towards the skill, I'm not doing anything technical. It all starts at training and the culture we're building as an attack."

He said Philander's incredible success - he is just the second bowler in over a century to take four five-wicket hauls in his first three Tests (Australia's Rodney Hogg being the last to do it in 1978/79), did not surprise him because the 26-year-old worked extremely hard on his game in the three years he was outside the national squad.

"I'm not surprised, he went away and really learnt his game. He understands his role and Vernon's a wonderful, classy bowler. Conditions have played their part, but he still had to execute those skills," Sport24 reports quoted Donald, as saying.

Morkel's performance at Centurion was probably the most disappointing aspect of the innings win, but Donald said the lanky fast bowler just needed more game time.

"I put myself in Morne's shoes and I was also a rhythm and confidence bowler, I needed to bowl a lot. Morne's the same, he just needs to get some confidence and then he'll be back all the way," he said.

"I think he's just one spell away. The last day at Centurion was really good, we wanted him to have a long spell after lunch after we tinkered on a few things after the first innings," Donald said. (ANI)