Warne gives Tahir spin tips

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne, right, gives bowling tips to South Africa's Imran Tahir during a training session ahead of their ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup semi-final match against India in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne, right, gives bowling tips to South Africa's Imran Tahir during a training session ahead of their ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup semi-final match against India in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Published Apr 3, 2014

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Dhaka - South Africa had a surprise visitor at their training session on Wednesday when Shane Warne pitched up to share a few wise words with the Proteas.

He was particularly busy with Proteas leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who he has assisted on previous occasions while Tahir was still on the English county circuit.

“I think a lot of us were surprised to see him here. Maybe he was getting a bit bored of staying in the hotel all the time,” Hashim Amla said of the legendary Australian leg-spinner’s unexpected visit.

Spinners will play a pivotal role as the World Twenty20 reaches the business end with the two semi-finals.

Sri Lanka face West Indies on Thursday and South Africa come up against India on Friday.

Among the top eight wicket-takers in the elite Super-10 round, six are spinners, with Tahir leading the pack with 11 wickets in four games.

The second semi-final could boil down to a spinners’ showdown between Tahir and Indian pair Amit Mishra and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Leg-spinner Mishra’s nine-wicket haul in four games has been matched by off-break bowler Ashwin’s seven wickets, helping India to become the only team to win all four Super-10 matches.

South Africa, branded chokers for their inability to win major titles, seem to have put the past behind them by scripting three narrow wins in Chittagong after losing their opening game to Sri Lanka.

The Proteas beat New Zealand by two runs, the Netherlands by six runs and England by three runs.

Cape Times

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