SA skipper Amla puts weight behind Tahir

COLOMBO: South African skipper Hashim Amla on Wednesday backed struggling leg-spinner Imran Tahir to come good, saying he had the qualities to be a match-winning bowler.

The 35-year-old Pakistan-born spinner took just one wicket off 45 overs in the first Test at Galle, raising doubts about his role as an attacking spinner in a side which has traditionally struggled to produce quality slow bowlers.

While his one-day record is commendable, Tahir has failed to translate that success into Test cricket, having taken 37 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 45.67. "Imran is a quality performer. I am not concerned about him at all. He has been exceptional in the shorter format of the game," said Amla ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka starting in Colombo on Thursday. "Test cricket is a challenging place. He will come good, it will take a few good performances to get his confidence back. He is a wonderful bowler. I´d say he is one of the most highly skilled leg-spinners in the world."

Such high praise from the captain is likely to boost Tahir´s morale as he gears up for the second Test.

A victory would hand South Africa their first series win on the island in 21 years. The Proteas won the first Test in Galle by 153 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-match rubber, giving Amla a win in his first Test as captain. (AFP)