Former England all-rounder Ian Botham said England's bowlers are disappearing quicker than supplies of Stellenbosch wine, and urged them to concentrate on getting fit, rather than being involved in squat jumps.
"We're heading to the Test series with a real concern over James Anderson's knee, Ryan Sidebottom's side, not to mention the only just fit again Graham Onions and Stuart Broad from back and shoulder injuries. Graeme Swann is a spinner and he's got a dodgy side too," Botham wrote in an article for The Mirror.
"I was flabbergasted with the way our cricketers were getting ready for a game. They were doing a series of squat jumps like a bunch of kangaroos and I can't believe that is good for the knees of our bowlers. I was wondering how on earth has Anderson managed to injure his knee in training, not in a game? Due to the weather England did not play cricket for a week, yet he had to stay behind in Durban to get an injection for his knee. I think I've got my answer," he adds.
"Enough with this obsession for gym-fitness over match fitness, there is a big difference between the two and it is hurting our cause. How can we have three fast bowlers and a spinner going down with injuries before the Test series has got underway? It is not enough bowling. I'll keep saying it until I'm blue in the face, but the only way bowlers get fit for bowling is by bowling," Botham states further.
He recalls a chat with Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath about his fitness regime before he retired and he revealed that the way he trained was surprisingly enough to bowl.
"On his days off he would bowl rather than go into the gym because he told me there was nothing out there that could simulate his bowling action," Botham says.
