Nel is fired up for the Proteas

André Nel has provided the answer to all of South Africa's prayers by rocketing into the 150km/h club that separates the game's genuine speedsters from the rest.

And coach Eric Simons says he will have no difficulty in getting the pride of Boksburg to bowl consistently at that pace.

The turnaround has been as dramatic as it has been sudden. He had actually become a subject of some ridicule - the fast bowler, who had everything except genuine pace.

So, how on earth has the 26-year-old changed from a 135km/h journeyman into a man who had the Wanderers bullring abuzz with excitement during his confrontation with Brian Lara on Sunday afternoon?

The answer is quite simple: he has tried in the past to be a fast bowler with almost the perfect ball grip for the slower delivery.

"It is something that we picked up on in Pakistan," explained Simons.

"A lot of credit must go to Jackers (Robin Jackman, the former England seam bowler, turned commentator) for pointing it out to us.

"Andre had a very loose grip between his thumb and forefinger. It also meant that he had to have the ball further back in his hand. It was almost the perfect grip for a slower delivery. He is now bowling with an orthodox grip with his fingers on top and his thumb underneath.

"The beauty of it all is that it is a comparatively minor change so we have not had to change his action or anything like that. The other big factor is that he has lost about 5kg in weight.

"I believe now that we will be able to get him to bowl consistently at 150 plus, which makes a huge difference to the attacking potential of our bowlers."

There are only a handful of bowlers who operate at that sort of speed in current international cricket. Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan and Brett Lee, who is expected to make his comeback for Australia in the Christmas Test at Melbourne, obviously top the list and New Zealand's Shane Bond, who is struggling to overcome a back stress fracture, is not far behind.

The Kiwis are hoping to have Bond back for the South African series in February and March and it will be essential to have Nel to fight fire with fire.

Getting Nel to bowl at this pace is one thing, keeping him on the field is another altogether. Nel's disciplinary record has got him into hot water with the ICC's most senior match referee, Ranjan Madugalle, with a 50 percent match fee fine (about R10 000).

Abusive behaviour does not work against players of Lara's calibre, nor is it necessary now that he is bowling at pace levels that subject opposing batsmen to enormous pressure on their own.

Simons said it was something that was receiving attention. "Andre was very contrite about it afterwards," he said of the tongue-outside-cheek jibe towards Chris Gayle that led to his landing in hot water. "And he made a point of going to Chris to apologise.