Australia have only two top bowlers: Cronje

Australia's Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee are nothing special as bowlers, disgraced former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje said on Friday ahead of next week's first Test.

"The Australians have only two bowlers -- Shane Warne (413 Test wickets) and Glenn McGrath (363)," Cronje was quoted as saying on the news.com.au website.

"If we can see them off without much damage being done there is no reason why we cannot handle the others. Lee and Gillespie are nothing special."

Pace bowlers Lee (14 wickets at an average of 25.14) and Gillespie (11 at 28.72) took 25 wickets between them in the rain-interrupted three-Test series against New Zealand which finished in a 0-0 draw earlier this week.

Gillespie bowled what Australia captain Steve Waugh described as one of the best spells in Test cricket during the second Test in Hobart last month.

Waugh also regards Lee, one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket with a top speed of 156 kph, as a rare talent.

Cronje told South Africa captain Shaun Pollock that containment was vital to beating the world's number one team.

"They like to score at four an over," Cronje said.

"If we can apply enough pressure to prevent that, we will create tension and it will be interesting to see how they cope.

"I don't see any reason why we should not give them a good run. We are playing good cricket at the moment and I think we now have the batting to cope."

Cronje, whose role in a match-fixing scandal rocked cricket last year, failed to overturn a life ban from the sport in October.

Meanwhile, Australia are expected to name their squad on Sunday for the first Test in Adelaide which starts on December 14.

South Africa start their four-day tour match against Western Australia in Perth later on Friday.

Mail Cricket Editor