Alcohol 'a Proteas problem'

2007-07-31 08:08

Johannesburg - A confidential report on the performance of South Africa at the recent Cricket World Cup has claimed that the "use of alcohol" is a problem in the national side.

An article in the latest issue of The Wisden Cricketer reveals that the report, written by Adrian le Roux, the former fitness trainer of the South African team, says alcohol use could have been responsible for the cramping that afflicted some of the team during the tournament.

Le Roux, widely regarded as one of the top fitness trainers in world sport, resigned suddenly from his position with the team recently, ostensibly to spend more time with his young family in Bloemfontein.

It has been learned, however, that Le Roux had become increasingly frustrated that some players had refused to take his advice seriously and at the insistence that the 72-hour "alcohol curfew" before matches be self-policed by the players.

"Some players are simply not mature and responsible enough," Le Roux wrote that "some players are simply not mature and responsible enough".

Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers suffered from crippling cramping during World Cup matches and the team came in for criticism after some of them were seen drowning their sorrows in the early hours following a loss to New Zealand.

Le Roux, it is understood, resigned because he felt his reputation was at stake after the players suffered cramp.

Le Roux did some sterling work with the Indian team, turning them into one of the fitter teams in world cricket before Cricket South Africa lured him home to work with the Proteas.

"I felt confident (before the tournament) that, apart from Roger Telemachus, all players in the squad were physically ready for the challenge of a two-month tournament," wrote Le Roux in the report.

"In my opinion the use of alcohol within the national team is a problem. This does not include all the players, but it does include players who play a vital role within the team."

Le Roux said there were five things he believed that caused cramping, namely conditioning, conditions, intensity, dehydration and alcohol.

While the intensity of playing in a tournament such as the World Cup could have made the players react in an "adverse physiological way", Le Roux did not believe this was the cause of the cramping.

Drinking alcohol inside the 72-hour period before a match "would not allow the body to function in its normal capacity... (and would be) a contributing factor to muscle cramping".

Andy Gray, Le Roux's predecessor as team fitness coach, said he had written a similar report before he resigned four years ago.

Gray said Paddy Upton, his predecessor, had encountered similar problems.

An accompanying article in The Wisden Cricketer suggests that the national side is dominated by a clique - the so-called "Big Five" - which has captain Smith at its centre.

This has been of some concern to observers close to the team, with Smith spending the majority of his time with "the same mates", as it may have an adverse affect on the morale of the team.

The full story can be found in the latest issue of the magazine, which goes on sale on Tuesday, July 31.

- News24