South African Test bowler Allan Donald (right) knows about top level cricket. But does he know anything about culturing an image of South African athletes as dexterous and canny rather than brutish and testosterone driven. We've all blanched at watching South African rugby teams in physical confrontations, an area in which they always do surprisingly well. After his fast bowling assault on Mike Atherton last Sunday evening and South Africa's subsequent defeat, Donald was quick to set the tone for the final Test at Headingley this coming Thursday. "When Mike Atherton and I meet for probably the last time in Test cricket at Leeds next week I will be homing in on that England helmet of his."

That folks is cricket's equivalent of Mike Tyson's dark and more graphic declaration that he was going to punch his opponent's nose up into his brain. Any more examples out there of pre-match verbals promising doom? Why not let Sidelines, c/o The Irish Times Sports Dept, know about them?