zulu

Lance Klusener
'I've been lucky to be able to play like I do'
Zulu talks about the Cronje years, fishing, finishing, and reinventing yourself

Interview by Sriram Veera
November 21, 2008

'If I look back, I probably don't want to change anything' © Getty Images

We all know cricket is bigger than the individual.

I always try to finish games with six balls to spare, because if there is a cock-up, the people coming in get a chance to do something. If you leave it to the last couple of balls then it can go anywhere.

When the match-fixing news broke, my first reaction was denial. It was pretty hard for me to take at that time. It was something you take time to get over.

I had a good time playing for South Africa. I made lots of friends. Now I've done it overseas. If I look back, I probably don't want to change anything.

If the captain shows confidence in you, you start to respect that. If the team is in trouble and he throws you the ball or thinks you can chase the score down, it feels good. The confidence and trust is most important. It rubs off on the field as well.

My most satisfying chase was Jo'burg against Australia in 2000. Mark Boucher and myself put a hundred or so. It was a game that worked perfectly to plan. We finished with an over to spare. We were always up with the rate, our calling was clear, and we targeted specific bowlers. That game springs to mind. It was very satisfying.

Everyone has their own style of batting. You can't necessarily learn flair. You need to just express yourself.

We had a great relationship with Cronje and it was quite tough, suddenly not having him there. We would go through a wall for him. Playing under him was the best time of my career. He was tremendous with youngsters like me, Shaun Pollock, Boucher and Jacques Kallis. He had the confidence in us that allowed us to express ourselves.

You see me hitting the ball out of the ground, but I hit hundreds of those in practice. It may look like a good shot and it is, but you have practised it a hundred times before the game.

Every single person has his or her own temptations. If you said that you haven't ever succumbed to a temptation, whatever be it, you are not probably telling the truth.

Shaun [Pollock] has a wise head. He knows the game.

Once someone has a crack at you, you end up having to defend yourself all the time. It's not something to defend. If [Graeme] Smith didn't want me in the team, then fine. It was not the end of the world.

I actually don't face the bowlers too much in the nets. Sometimes you can leave the nets not feeling good at all, because the bowlers have bowled well! I am someone who believes you must feel good after a net, so I face some throwdowns.

One more match, and it would have been 50 Tests for me. That would have been nice, I guess, but I'm not a stats man, so it doesn't bother me. If you are scoring runs and taking wickets, you can play 100 Tests. I wasn't doing that, to be honest.

You can't live on your reputation.

When you're in the zone and you're totally focused on the ball, you get an invincible feeling. It's not as soon as you come in to the crease: you play a few balls, get going, then suddenly you find yourself in that zone. If only I knew how I get there, it would be fantastic (smiles).

Match-fixing was something you heard about. When someone actually said, 'Do such and such', you thought he was joking. That's how I thought then. It's not for me to judge Cronje. It's a very very sad story.

I have been lucky to be able to play like I do: it's being blessed with the ability and getting the opportunity to finish games.

When it comes to fishing, it's about the expectation. You don't know what you're going to catch. Also, the challenge of getting a fish at the end of your line. And just getting away from the hustle and bustle, going to a place where there are no people.

Where I can, I hit a lot of balls against the bowling machine. Then I ask the coach to bowl balls where I can hit over his head. With that you get the feeling of how far you have to hit the ball. I like to hit balls outside the nets to see the ball go.

When you're playing for yourself, you become more selective and you play with less freedom. You think 20 not out is better than 10 out, you know. It curtails the freedom.



When you're in the zone and you're totally focused on the ball, you get an invincible feeling

It's nice to come to places you enjoy. I was telling my friends about how people here in India wear cricket helmets and drive - we had a chuckle. I get a lot of enjoyment from stepping out on the streets, and seeing how other people live.

When you don't have pace you can still get wickets by bowling cutters and stuff. It takes a while to tell yourself, but eventually you realise when you are trying to bounce someone and it disappears front of square!

I like to leave cricket on the field.

You pick up injuries and you get wiser and need to adapt. That is the nature of the sport. You need to fit in the role that the team needs you to play.

Cricket is not the be-all and end-all. When I'm on the field I'm trying my hardest, trying to win, but in the end it's only a game.

ICL has given some of us older guys the chance to give something back to cricket, and help the youngsters here. It has been very satisfying, helping the kids. Hopefully we can get sanction soon, and some of these youngsters can represent India some time. If ICL produces four or five guys who are vying for a spot for India, it would have done its job.

I will continue to play as long as I am enjoying it. As long as it's not sore getting out of bed. I am 100% fit. Playing cricket is a good way to make a living.

Twenty 20 cricket is lovely. Three hours and done and dusted. It gives you a chance to be tremendously competitive while putting less strain on you.

If you are knocked over early, you can't do much about it. Of course, there's more time for fishing!

Sriram Veera is a staff writer at Cricinfo
© Cricinfo

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