C365 Exclusive With Albie Morkel

Morkel - taking over Polly's number seven spot.

It was a blustery day in Nottingham as the Proteas were put through their paces on the back of Friday's loss in the Natwest Series opener, but it was a chipper Albie Morkel who trotted off the field for a quick chat.

The reason for his optimism was clear - just last week Graeme Smith expected his one-day trump card to be sent home with a shoulder injury, but here he was practising with the side and looking forward to a fitness test on Monday afternoon with an eye to playing in Tuesday's clash at Trent Bridge.

Morkel's value to the Proteas was patently clear during their 20-run loss to a Kevin Pietersen-inspired England on Friday night. Vernon Philander played deputy at Headingley, and while he put in a valiant performance in bowling nine wicketless overs and scoring 23 from 27 deliveries, he certainly lacked the sparkle which Morkel can provide with both bat and ball.

England's current unit is very different to the one that played in the World Twenty20 last September, but those who took part in the inaugural tournament in South Africa will not have forgotten Morkel's role in their demise at Newlands. On that ocassion the older of two brothers came in with South Africa struggling on 91 for five in the 15th over, and duly blitzed 43 from just 20 deliveries as Chris Schofield watched his ball disappear into the stands - or over the railway line which runs adjacent to the ground - on a regular basis.

The Proteas could use that sort of hitting as they look to bounce back in a series they were widely expected to walk, and so far the prognosis is good.

"I made good progress during the week," Albie explained exclusively to C365. "They thought of sending me back but I've had some acupuncture treatment during the week and it's held up quite well today (at practice) and it's settled down quite nicely. I think I've got at least a 50-50 chance (for Trent Bridge), so we're almost there."

Morkel has found himself shifted around the batting order on a regular basis in one-day internationals, coming in as high as number three and as low as number ten as the Proteas search for the best possible place to use his hard hitting.

He remains a clear allrounder having won matches with both bat and ball (his best spell coming in the series decider in Pakistan last year when he took 4-44 as the hosts crumbled from a winning position), but so far the side's think-tank have struggled to give the Vereeniging-born player a defined role. Fortunately the retirement of Shaun Pollock may have laid that problem to rest.

"I think there's definitely a more set role for me since Polly retired," says Morkel. "I think I'll bat number seven if I play, which is a very important role in a one-day batting line-up.

"So the side will be looking for me to come in then, depending on the situation, and close the game off. Obviously myself, 'Bouchie' (Mark Boucher) and Johan Botha at six, seven and eight, it's up to us to see the innings through, so that's obviously my role batting wise. Bowling wise I'll be a full seamer, looking to bowl ten overs.

"I think if I bat at number three or if they send me up to go and pinch-hit it's a bit of a long shot. We've got a fairly established top order so to send a guy in to go and pinch-hit is not really something we're looking at. And as a player it's much nicer to have a defined role."

But what to make of England's victory on Friday night? Morkel says the Proteas have had a chat about it all, but believes that it was the unusual suspects of Kevin Pietersen and Samit Patel who won the match with the ball for the home side.

"We had a bit of a team chat earlier and I don't think we played as well as we wanted to," he says. "Definitely England were more up for it on the day than us. We had a hard chat and a hard look at ourselves and we're looking to bounce back in the second ODI.

"I think if you compare the scores to the end we were far ahead on run rate when we chased but the three wickets that we lost in a row put us on the back foot. That spell which Samit Patel and Pietersen bowled won the game for England in those ten overs because I think we only scored at about 3.5 an over for ten overs and that put us behind. And when you've lost a few wickets it's difficult to have a charge at the end and try and hit the boundaries if you don't have wickets in hand.

"The wicket was really slow so obviously KP saw that and tried to take the pace off the ball through the middle overs and it definitely worked for them. They got a run out on two wickets so they definitely put us on the back foot and we never recovered from there."

Pietersen's influence as captain on a previously lacklustre England side has been evident to all and sundry since his appointment just three weeks ago, but what is Morkel's take on the new skipper and how far he can take the Three Lions?

"I came over here during the last Test match and from the sideline you can see there's a new vibe in the side, they look energised and he definitely brings that to the team. If you look at the way he plays, he's an aggressive player and it looks like he takes that into his captaincy as well. I think England really look like they're rejuvenated.

"I think they have a very talented side. If you look at their bowling attack now, especially with (Steve) Harmison back adding a new dimension to the side, they're definitely going in the right direction. Obviously the test will be the Ashes next year."

Before joining up with the touring Proteas squad ahead of the one-day series, Morkel kept himself in practice by plying his trade for Durham in their run to the Twenty20 Cup semi-finals. While he admits it was good to help the club achieve greater success than they'd enjoyed in recent years, his participation for the county was a result of his absence from South Africa's Test squad.

While younger brother Morne played a crucial role in his country's first Test series victory in England since 1965, Albie is yet to make an appearance in the whites for South Africa. Most would classify him as purely a limited-overs player, but this is not something he does himself.

"I've never ever labelled myself as a limited-overs player," he insists. "Although obviously I got my opportunity to play international cricket through Twenty20, which was a nice stepping stone for me into the one-day side, I've never labelled myself as a shorter version guy. I'd really like to play Test match cricket in the future and it's something I'm definitely working towards.

"It's very difficult to get a spot in the squad (at the moment). We've got a very settled bowling attack with Dale, Morne, Makhaya, a spinner and 'Jakes' (Jacques Kallis) bowling well as a full seamer. So it's very difficult to find a spot but my aim is just to at least get into the squad and then from there you can work your way in."

With Kallis approaching the age of 33 it's not inconceivable that Morkel might fancy his chances of taking JK's all-rounder's berth in the side once he retires, but Morkel himself has his doubts.

"I think we're different players. I don't think I can ever play his role - if I play in the side I'll probably bat seven or eight in the Test side and bowl like he does - sort of keep it quiet on one side. But I don't think I'll bat number three in the Test side so I don't think I can replace him."

That's all in the future and first South Africa, and Morkel, have a one-day series to turn around. So what plans are merging for Tuesday?

"We'll have our chat in the next day or so," says Morkel calmly. "I think we'll try and be a bit more aggressive in the way we play but we'll also have to wait and see what the captain comes up with in terms of game plans."

Whatever plans Smith may have up his sleeve for the remainder of the series, his job will be a lot easier if he can pull out his trump card.

Tristan Holme