Australia’s cricketers will be wasting breath if they sledge Proteas strokeplayer Hashim Amla, according to South African Johan Botha.
Botha, captaining South Australia, says Amla is a cool character who won’t be ruffled by any verbal tactics in the first Test starting in Brisbane on Friday.
A leaked Australian dossier on the Proteas states Amla should be targeted with a “bit of psychological war”.
But Botha, who has played five Tests and 78 one-day internationals for South Africa, says such a tactic will fail.
“He (Amla) is pretty relaxed and I don’t think it will affect him at all,” Botha said on Thursday.
“He has played against Australia now a few times – he has played against all the other top teams in the world.
“And he is the type of guy who it doesn’t affect him if you say something or if you don’t. He just goes out there and watches the ball and grinds out big scores.
“They (Australia) can do what they want (but) you have got to put the ball in the right area and put him under pressure.
“Hashim will just go about his game as he has always done.”