CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) - Shaun Pollock hailed Allan Donald as South Africa's greatest fast bowler as he eyed a chance to overtake his former team-mate's record wicket haul in the fourth Test against West Indies starting today.
Pollock has taken 321 Test victims, nine fewer than Donald had claimed when he played his final match against Australia two years ago.
``The record is something I am looking at,'' Pollock told reporters. ``It's a bit of a long service award.
``But it would be sad to take it away from Allan, who is certainly South Africa's best ever fast bowler.''
Pollock believes he and Donald are different types of bowlers.
``I can't compare myself to him, I was never a fast bowler,'' Pollock said.
``I'm a different type of player, an all-rounder, and I play a different type of role.
Pollock said he and fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, who have taken 32 wickets between them in the first three matches of the current series, formed an effective partnership.
``Makhaya has the gas and is the fast man, I bring something else,'' Pollock said. ``I make the batsmen play a lot and I think we complement each other.''
Left-arm wrist-spinner Paul Adams bowled 41 overs for 173 runs and no reward in the drawn third Test in Cape Town, but has kept his place in the squad.
Pollock, a former South African captain, said he would include a spin bowler on a pitch that traditionally favours seamers.
``Going into a Test match you always like to have a spinner, and this pitch is very dry,'' Pollock said.
The series ended as a contest when the third Test was drawn, making South Africa the winners by virtue of their emphatic victories in the first two Tests.
But West Indies captain Brian Lara was adamant his team still had something to play for.
``We're looking for an improved performance from the Newlands Test, which was an improvement in itself, and on the previous two Tests,'' Lara told reporters.
``The series might be over, but we've got to be positive. We've got a lot of cricket ahead this year and we've got to use this match as a positive launch pad.''
``We know this is our last opportunity to salvage something from the series, and I am determined not to let South Africa win this one.''
The visitors go into the match with more injury problems.
Opening batsman Wavell Hinds has become the fourth member of the tour party to be sent home because of an injury with a groin strain, and batsman Dwayne Smith, who made a century on debut in Cape Town, is struggling with a dislocated finger.
South Africa's squad includes fast bowler Andre Nel, who postponed his wedding -- scheduled for the second day -- by two hours to enable him to be available for selection.
Squads:
South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Paul Adams, Mark Boucher, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Neil McKenzie, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Shaun Pollock, Jacques Rudolph, Martin van Jaarsveld.
West Indies: Brian Lara (captain), Carlton Baugh, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Ridley Jacobs, David Mohammed, Ravi Rampaul, Adam Sanford, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Smith.