POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, 15 December 2004 — England batsman Graham Thorpe says he will draw on past success against South Africa as his underdone team prepare for this week’s first Test in Port Elizabeth.
“Obviously we would have liked more preparation, but we don’t have a choice after we played poorly against South Africa A,” Thorpe told reporters yesterday.
“In an ideal world, the batsmen would have liked to have spent more time at the crease, but it’s important that we don’t get down on ourselves,” Thorpe said just before leaving for Johannesburg, where the England squad will board a flight for Port Elizabeth.
“We’re going to have to dig deep into the memory banks and remember the times we’ve done well against them,” Thorpe added. “I have played well at times, under more pressure, against South Africa, so I will draw on that”
The experienced left-hander scored a century against South Africa in his comeback Test at the Oval in 2003, 11 months after withdrawing from England’s tour of Australia for personal reasons.
“I didn’t know my elbow from my shoulder then,” Thorpe said. England slumped to a seven-wicket loss to South Africa A on Monday. “We lacked intensity and we need to rise to the level that South Africa will be at,” Thorpe said. “We have two days in the nets in which to get mentally attuned and it’s most important that we focus in on increasing our intensity because then we’ll have an excellent chance of putting South Africa under pressure. “We’re a fraction short of where we want to be and some of us will need to scrap really hard in the first Test. The key is not panicking. You have to get the balance between enjoyment and wanting to win the game. Enjoyment is very important.”
