By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg : South African spinner Johan Botha said that veteran Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble’s tips will help newcomer Roelof van der Merwe to perform well in next month’s Twenty20 World Cup in England.
The 24-year-old van der Merwe is a newcomer in South Africa’s one-day and Twenty20 side and is playing under former Indian skipper Kumble in Bangalore Royal Challengers in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) here.
“To have someone like Anil in the net practices giving you advice is unbelievable,” Botha told the Afrikaans weekly Rapport here.
“He helps me a lot and he tells you things that you have never thought of. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from such an experienced spinner and that too one of the biggest (cricketers) of all time.”
Van der Merwe, a left-arm spinner, said Kumble had advised him on his accuracy: “It’s particularly with my variety and flight to use to outwit the batsmen that (Kumble) has given me a lot of advice.
“The one thing about my bowling that has improved the most recently is my accuracy. The ball now leaves my hand very nicely and I feel very good about my bowling.”
Van der Merwe said the Twenty20 World Cup in England would be a new challenge in different circumstances and he was looking forward to it after the getting advice from Kumble.