'I hope to go on for five or six years' - Kallis

Jacques Kallis scored 71 not out batting at No. 7 for a South African eleven against a Mumbai XI at the Wankhede Stadium, even as Sri Lanka and West Indies went through their paces ahead of Saturday's match. Having got a good game in, winning easily, Kallis took time out to chat to the reporters gathered.

"It's been a good couple of weeks for us," he said. "We also had a training camp back home in South Africa. The three games we have had were ideal practice and we have achieved what we wanted to achieve. We can go into the actual championship with a lot of confidence."

Kallis, who has been a major force with the bat in recent times, has seen a dip in his contribution with the ball. But he was comfortable with how this aspect of his game was getting on. "I have been working hard on my bowling and the last few years have been good," he said, while admitting that it was wise to cut down on pace in certain conditions. "On sub-continent pitches it is stupid running in and trying to bowl fast. The key is to try and pitch it in the right areas. Experience comes into play in these conditions."

Kallis, who was out of the game for a six months with an elbow injury, returned to lead South Africa in three one-dayers against Zimbabwe in September. But he is now 100% fit. "It is good to see it [the elbow] hold up. I have had no problems with it and the injury is now a thing of the past."

When one reporter put it to Kallis that age was catching up with him, perhaps taking into account a receding hairline, the answer came right back. "I am only 30 and I have to prove that. I have still got a few years left," he said. "Nowadays, with lot of cricket around, it is tough on the body and it is important to manage yourself. I hope to go on for five or six years and see how it goes."

Kallis, who has been the vice-captain of the South African team for a while now, and has led on occasion, said he did not have ambitions of landing the job full-time. "I have never wanted to think about it. I enjoyed while I had it. Graeme Smith is doing a great job and I see no reason why that should change."

Kallis also refused to undermine the opposition his team has been up against in practice matches, simply saying, "We have achieved what we wanted to achieve. I think it is as strong an opposition as they could give us. We can only play against a side that we have been given. Having said that, our guys batted really well on wickets that have not been actually 300-run wickets. We have got a lot of confidence from that." He would only concede that the bowlers could have been pushed further. "Opposition sides have not chased totals, so the bowlers are not being put under as much pressure as we would have liked. The guys are hitting the areas and that's what we wanted to achieve at the end of the day."

Kallis also said that it did not make such a difference that all practice matches were played in the day, although the matches in the Champions Trophy were day-night affairs. "We play a lot of day-night cricket back home," he said. "We also have dew and the guys bowl with wet balls. The bowlers will also be running with wet balls and so we make sure we are hundred percent prepared."