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Geoff Longley stopped South African speedster Allan Donald long enough to talk about life in the fast lane.

A common thread runs through every cricketing country that dominates the world scene for a period - great bowlers, usually of the quick variety.

I gave it everything I had for eight overs or so and people have said it was the most electrifying spell they have seen. -Allan Donald

In New Zealand's heyday it was Sir Richard Hadlee; the West Indies was dominant with a four-pronged pace attack; Pakistan had Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.

Now South Africa has the mantle of the most lethal pace-bowling attack at world level, headed by the new-ball pairing of Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock.

Allan Donald: balls from his hand approach the batsmen at 150kmh. The batsman gets about four-tenths of a second to react.

Donald is rated the world's No. 1 and he has the figures and speed readings to prove it, approaching 150kmh at his quickest.

That, for the uninitiated, leaves a reaction time for the batsman of about four-tenths of a second to perform as 51/2 ounces of leather bear down.

Donald, nicknamed White Lightning, says he does not try to pit himself against the speed gadget gimmicks. What matters is the man at the other end and the best way of dismissing him - with a short-pitched flyer, a yorker, or an outswinger.

However, he does admit to producing one of the fastest spells of his life last year during the infamous Michael Atherton incident in a test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, against England.

Atherton was given not out by New Zealand umpire Steve Dunne after gloving a ball behind. Another catch was dropped and Donald, with his dander up, delivered one of the most hostile spells in the modern era.

``I had to try not to panic because when the adrenalin's rushing you can lose it. But I gave it everything I had for eight overs or so and people have said it was the most electrifying spell they have seen.''

Atherton weathered the storm and led England to a test, and ultimately series, victory, after the Proteas had been ahead, 1-0. Donald was placed on a 12-month suspended sentence for comments made later about the umpiring.

Donald poses a terrifying test for most batsmen but says he leaves the game on the field and believes he is easy-going off it. ``I'm usually one of the first to go into the opposition dressing-room with a beer afterwards - that's part of the game.''

Donald's momentum is generated by his smooth acceleration to the wicket, a style he says he owes to England speedster Devon Malcolm. ``I watched him a lot and his approach to the wicket and worked on trying to capture the rhythm he had in his run-up. It was a bit of trial and error but something developed from that which has been the basis for how I bowl.''

Donald started his English county career as a pacy, but erratic, bowler with Warwickshire in 1987. Two years later, after adopting some Malcolm habits, he achieved notable success, bagging 83 wickets.

Because of South Africa's sporting isolation and his Warwickshire connection, he was contemplating changing his cricketing allegiance to England.

``I'd seen what the likes of Allan Lamb, Chris and Robin Smith had done and talked a bit with them. But Dr Ali Bacher (chief executive of South Africa Cricket) said give it a couple of years and things would change and he was right on the money.''

Donald's entry to world cricket came in 1991-92. He was 24. It could hardly have been timed better, given his grounding with Warwickshire. The wickets soon started mounting, including a five-wicket haul against India in his first season.

Donald concentrates on running on his toes to avoid being flat-footed. He says he is then likely to reach the crease with the right balance and timing to send the ball on its way.

Since his younger days he has reduced his run-up from 23 to 15 paces and, with the economy of movement, has come greater wicket-taking efficiency.

In the last two years so accurate has he become that he has bowled just eight no-balls in hundreds of matches at all levels. ``If I bowl one nowadays it really pees me off. They can be quite crucial in games, especially the one-dayers.''

Donald also says a season in the Lancashire league in 1996 was significant to his continuing development as a bowler.

There he developed an outswinger and got the wrist-action right for that delivery. ``I used to nip it back at right-hand batsmen and when my wrist wasn't working right I'd send it swinging way down leg. Then I started to get an outswinger going and it helped my game even more.''

That year Donald had a season off from Warwickshire but acted as its bowling and fitness coach, with Pollock the overseas player.

Fitness is a prime factor in Donald's remarkable record of having played 54 of South Africa's 60 tests since the country's readmission to the international arena.

``I do spend a lot of time stretching and find that's the key to staying on the park. We play so much cricket you have to be strong and supple.'' The only complete series he has missed is New Zealand's three-test outing against South Africa in 1994-95 after a foot injury.

With 262 test wickets already, he is closing on his target of 300.

Among the best batsmen he has bowled to he rates India's Sachin Tendulkar and Australian Steve Waugh. ``Tendulkar picks the ball up so early and is an amazing stroke-maker while Waugh is one of the gutsiest and most disciplined players I've come across.''

Before he contemplates leaving the game he faces another demanding year. He has already been part of the 5-0 series whitewash of the West Indies and, after the series against New Zealand, he has a benefit season with Warwickshire and the World Cup.

He says early-season conditions in England in May and June could have a bearing on the World Cup winner, but he believes South Africa, with its 70-plus per cent one-day winning record, is as likely to win the event as any country.

``But I wouldn't write the likes of New Zealand off,'' he adds. ``They will be a very good opponent and, with the likes of Gavin Larsen and Chris Harris getting conditions to suit, could beat anybody.''

During rare cricket-free periods Donald enjoys time with his wife, Tina, and their young family, a four-year-old daughter and 11-month old son.

Rugby also plays a part in his sporting life. ``I never miss a game,'' said Donald, who excused himself from South Africa's match against New Zealand A this week to watch the Hurricanes-Stormers Super 12 encounter. His home team is the Golden Cats.

While the Black Caps must face his thunderbolts, perhaps the All Blacks are lucky Donald never seriously turned his sporting skills to the oval ball game.