Jonty sticks with Proteas

2007-07-13 10:44

Johannesburg - Former South African middle-order batsman and stand-out fielder, Jonty Rhodes, has squashed rumours that he will soon be joining his old teammate Allan Donald on the coaching staff of the England cricket team.

Rumours have been rife within cricket circles that Rhodes would be offered the position of fielding coach for England, working along with their head coach, former Free State player, Peter Moores, and Donald, the bowling coach.

Rhodes was the Proteas' fielding coach at the recent Cricket World Cup in the West Indies.

He had previously coached the Pakistan national team, and had a reputation of being the best fielder in the world during his international career, specialising in the backward point position where he claimed many outstanding catches and effected many run outs of opposing batsmen.

In 52 Tests he took 34 catches and in 245 one-day internationals he snapped up 105 catches, including the world record of five in one match, for South Africa against West Indies in Bombay in 1993/94.

Proteas coach Mickey Arthur was keen to squash any rumours about Rhodes joining the England training set-up.

He was adamant that Rhodes was committed to South Africa this season and would be back in action as fielding coach for the upcoming Twenty/20 World Cup in South Africa in September.

"Jonty has confirmed he's staying with us," Arthur said.

"He's an integral member of our team and he is committed to staying with the Proteas. I don't know where all these rumours start, but Jonty's definitely with us. I hope we can squash all these rumours."

Rhodes expressed surprise about the England offer.

"I can honestly say I have never received any offers from England," he confirmed on Friday. "Some time ago there was a rumour I was going to coach Sri Lanka, but I was never approached by them either."

Rhodes confirmed that he would be acting as fielding coach for the Proteas at the Twenty20 World Cup in September subject to confirmation by Cricket SA CEO, Gerald Majola.

England, meanwhile, are desperate to fill the fielding coach position as their catching and ground fielding in recent matches against the touring West Indies team has been poor, costing them plenty of runs.

Moores is keen to have a fielding coach by the time the seven-match limited-overs series against India starts next month.

- SAPA