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SA very strong at the moment, says Cronje

The 14-member South African cricket team, led by Hansie Cronje, arrived in Bombay early Thursday morning for a gruelling six-week tour.

They will play two Tests and five one-day internationals, before moving to Sharjah for a three-nation tournament against India and Pakistan from March 22 to 31.

On arrival at Bombay airport, Cronje said his squad is stronger than the last South African side to tour India in 1996, but added that he has no illusions about the size of the task ahead.

"I think playing India in India is a very tough challenge," Cronje said.

"It is one of the toughest tours these days.

"India were obviously very disappointing in Australia. I think they missed players like (Ajay) Jadeja, (Mohammad) Azharuddin and Nayan Mongia.

"Obviously, they are back in contention. Saying this, I feel South Africa is very strong at the moment, stronger than the side which toured India in 1996," the 30-year-old veteran of 66 Tests, said.

The South Africans had a harrowing time at Bombay airport, landing at midnight and then having to wait two hours for their baggage to pass through customs. They finally checked in to their hotel at 3.15 a.m.

The tour opens with a three-day match against the Indian board president's team at the Cricket Club of India in Bombay from Feb 19-21.

The first Test will be played at the Wankhede stadium in Bombay from February 24-28 and the second at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore from March 2-6.

The current fortunes of the South African and Indian sides could hardly provide a starker contrast. South Africa, the second most powerful cricket nation behind Australia, are coming off a 2-1 Test win over England at home, besides winning the triangular one-day series against England and Zimbabwe.

The Indians, meanwhile, are still recovering from a disastrous tour of Australia, where they lost all three Tests and seven of the eight one-day internationals.

India was the first stopover for South Africa after returning to the international fold in 1991. They played three one-dayers in November 1991, losing 2-1.

South Africa's only Test tour of India was in 1996 when India won the series 2-1.

India have not lost a home Test series since 1987, although they have won just one Test match abroad in the same period -- against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1993.

The South African team includes "White Lightening" Allan Donald, who needs 10 wickets to reach the 300-mark. Donald, 32, was initially reluctant to tour India, but was persuaded by the United Cricket Board of South Africa in a bid to achieve the landmark.

Donald will return home after the Test series, and not play the one-dayers.

The team has two left-arm spinners in 33-year-old Clive Eksteen and Nicky Boje, who replaced the injured unorthodox bowler Paul Adams.

All-rounder and vice-captain Shaun Pollock, who did not accompany the team on their last tour in 1996-97, is the fourth member of the pace quartet completed by Donald, Lance Klusener and Mornantau Hayward.

The South African squad is: Hansie Cronje (capt), Shaun Pollock (vice-capt), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Peter Strydom, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher (wicket-keeper), Allan Donald, Nicky Boje, Mornantau Hayward, Hendrik Dippenaar, Clive Esksteen. The manager is Goolam Rajah and the coach Graham Ford.