The incredible axe-man cometh

Zimbabwean Neil Johnson, his best friend, claims that but for Klusener he would have been a member of the South African team. 8220;He kept me out of the team and I opted instead to turn out for Zimbabwe,8221; he said. Although Klusener is one of the leading fast bowlers of South Africa, it is with the bat that he has spread terror in rival ranks. He has been dismissed just once in this World Cup, but has made 214 astounding runs before the match against Australia where he made 36 in 21 balls for a stunningaverage. His strike rate of 111 pre-Australia match is even more awesome.

Teams are busy trying to get a handle on this man8217;s sensational clubbing at the death. One study the type India never makes found that he made 59 per cent of his runs between long on and square leg. Of the total runs, most were off the pacemen, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akthar, Chaminda Vaas, Mark Ealham, et al, whom he carted for 143 runs at the rate of 136 per 100 balls.The spinners handled him better. They conceded only 71 runs from 88 balls 81 per 100 balls. Yet all teams put their fastest bowler against him, and paid the price just ask Shoaib.

The trick, according to the study, is to pitch the ball at his back heel and not allow him to get under the ball. He is so quick with bat that he gets it around his front leg and whips the ball to the leg. Best would be a tactic which gave him a single and kept him away from the strike, it added.

Part of the problem is not the plan but carrying it out. There simply is no margin oferror against the man. He punishes instantly and with such brutal power that the ball goes crashing to the fence. Andy Whittal, the Zimbabwe bowler said he used the overpitched delivery on the leg against Klusener successfully. But when he strayed slightly on two occasions he was hammered for 10 runs from those two deliveries.

TRAINING METHOD: Klusener8217;s training methods are interesting. He resorts to a heavier bat at nets, preferring a 3.2 lbs willow. The bat he uses for the matches, though, is one slightly below 3 lbs. Midway through the World Cup he broke his favourite bat and was distraught.

But Duncan Fearnely, the bat manufacturer, came to his rescue with a custom made replacement within 24 hours. Klusener used that willow with blazing results in the match against Pakistan.

Woolmer, the coach, says that Klusener bats for an hour at the nets, trying to flay the ball to the leg. 8220;He stands with a slightly open stance and hammers the ball with all his strength. He is very quick in spotting the ballslightly short of length and his hand-eye co-ordination is simply amazing. Immediately after the knock in the nets he goes against the bowling machine and tonks the ball just as hard there for another hour.8221;

Klusener8217;s hard hours at the nets everyday have paid off remarkably. He brings into play his iron-like strong forearms, shoulder and back and it is little wonder that every team is brought swiftly to its knees.

Today the Australians posted three men between long-on and square leg and met with a fair degree of success. But Klusener simply moved away and blasted through the off. One incredible cross batted smash through covers was simply unforgettable.

Surely Klusener is one of the biggest hitters in this tournament where pundits claimed pinch-hitting would be rarer than a hen8217;s teeth. Did the hi-tech South Africans design him in Seatlle after that horrific 22 runs from one ball equation at the Australia World Cup? Who knows? Right now there is no hitter on the face of the earth like Lancecorporal8217; Klusener.Not for nothing do his team mates call him the mighty axeman!