Fit as a butcher's dog

After having been at close quarters with the South African cricket side over the past month in Pakistan it is imperative that some vicious rumours that have been circulating over the last few years are put to rest.

I have heard consistently from some critics that the fitness regime of the squad is not up to scratch. Once and for all let me bury that belief.

The boys worked extremely hard on the park in often trying circumstances and although they are bitterly disappointed not to have extra baggage of two trophies, it was not due to lack of preparation off the field.

Their work ethic was simply awesome. Most nights following a draining day of play it was impossible to find room in the gym. The most unlikely suspects were pumping iron, cycling, swimming or simply stretching, all under the watchful eye of fitness guru Adrian Le Roux.

They had set programmes to adhere to every week and look out if anyone didn’t sweat for his mates. Six bone crunching gym sessions a week coupled with pool drills were the order, and that had the local Pakistan gymnasium instructors blinking in amazement.

There were no exceptions. Most of the boys remarkably endured additional muscle wrenching workouts in their own time to ensure they were in peak condition. Do I have to remind you that they at times had to stand out in energy sapping near 50 degree celcius heat in the sun for six hours as well?

Yes, the medical staff were caught on the hop during the first one-dayer in oppressive conditions in Lahore where all who performed lost an alarming amount of weight, but following an emergency meeting the following morning they quickly got things back on track.

The lack of time for acclimatizing was the main culprit but now they were in the heat of battle and had to deliver. The medical and fitness staff were the unsung heroes of the arduous tour and to see the quantity of work going on behind the scenes was mind-boggling.

Well done guys! I can think of many an international squad whose wheels would have come off following day one of action, with little chance of recovery.

There was a strict emphasis on weight loss and how to avoid dehydration. The players were carefully monitored prior to each activity and any worrying symptoms could be swiftly acted upon. The thoroughness even included weighing each player before and after warm up routines!

It is heartening to witness the development of the squad in this area and hopefully all will now acknowledge the blood, sweat and tears along with the enormous pride that these guys champion.

There are some areas of deficiency in specific skill areas that complete the jigsaw puzzle of a world-class team and those are openly discussed and worked on in team forums.

Rest assured though, your team is as fit as a butcher’s dog!

P.S. Aamir and I are still talking . . . just!!!