Smith has all-round pace attack at command in Tests: Rhodes

8220;It8217;s not just Dale Steyn. Morne Morkel bowls at speed and also gets good bounce with his height and there8217;s Vernon Philander8230;so there are three pacers who bowl very differently,which is often difficult to counter,8221; he added while responding to whether the Indian batsmen would find it tough to face this pace attack when they visit South Africa in 2013-14 season to play three Tests,seven ODIs and two T20s.

The 42-year-old,who represented his country in 52 Tests as a plucky middle-order batsman of outstanding fielding abilities at backward point,is currently in India as the fielding coach of IPL franchise outfit 8212; Mumbai Indians 8212; to help them in season 5 of the T20 league,starting on April 4.

Rhodes,who was following the Proteas8217; tour of New Zealand,said their domination of the Kiwis was on expected lines.

8220;In South Africa it8217;s difficult to watch the play as the time zone difference is about ten hours,in India it8217;s only 8 hours. So I do catch the end of the Test cricket day8217;s play. I watch them quite closely. And they are a strong team. Everyone expected them to beat New Zealand as man for man they SA are a stronger side,8221; he said.

The former player also hailed the splendid display of new speedster Philander and said the reason for the bowler8217;s success was 8216;he did not try to blast out the opposition but concentrated on bowling in the right places8217;.

8220;It8217;s great 8212; fastest guy in 100-odd years to reach 50 Test wickets. I think what is good is he hasn8217;t made his debut at the age of 22,8221; said Rhodes,who retired after playing 245 ODIs for his country from 1992 to 2003.

8220;He Philander knows exactly where to bowl. He does not get carried away,he knows what8217;s got him his success in Test cricket. He8217;s bowling in the good areas,he swings the ball,he seams it if there8217;s a little bit of movement off the pitch and I suppose he is very patient,without trying to blast the batsman out. That I suppose is the key to his success,8221; he added.

Philander 26 has grabbed 51 wickets in just seven Tests with as many as six five-wickets-in-an-innings hauls.

Rhodes,meanwhile,said that he was enjoying his stint with MI in the IPL and termed T20 format of the game as 8220;sportainment8221;,a mixture of sport and entertainment.

8220;The best thing about IPL is it8217;s total entertainment,apart from providing great cricket skills. If people ask me where8217;s the best place to play cricket in South Africa,I would say Port Elizabeth. There8217;s a music band there,the crowd gets involved,they sing songs,8221; said Rhodes.

8220;The game8217;s changed. There8217;s Test cricket,there8217;s 50-over cricket. The 20-over cricket is about sportainment,entertainment and sport at the same time. That8217;s been the best for me.

8220;There8217;s great crowd participation,it8217;s exciting for everyone and it has brought in new viewers 8212; ladies,families that8217;s so important for the future growth of cricket,8221; he added.

Rhodes was guarded in his comments over reports that young West Indian off spinner Sunil Narine could prefer to play in the IPL than the Test series against Australia,and whether it was an indication of what is in store in future for cricket.

8220;I don8217;t know. It8217;s difficult to ask players not to play IPL. I never had that choice in my playing days,so I can8217;t comment on it.8221;

If he prefers IPL over Tests,Narine,a non-contracted player,would be following the footsteps of former Windies captain Chris Gayle.

The hard-hitting Gayle has not played for the West Indies for more than a year following a dispute with the country8217;s cricket board. His last appearance was in 2011 World Cup match against Bangladesh in Dhaka

The Jamaican has chosen to ply his trade as a big-hitting opener in T20 games around the world,including IPL,in which he is representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore since last season.