New Delhi, Oct. 8: The uninhibited effervescence of a farm boy has not left South African pace spearhead Makhaya Ntini. Even after years in the limelight, Ntini talks about his horses with the same ease as he does about bouncers.

Here in India leading the Proteas’ bowling attack for the Champions Trophy, Ntini laughed and joked his way through a press event on Sunday.

Asked about his strategies for the event, Ntini stumped everybody. "I have no plans of changing my style. No slower deliveries for me; be it India or South Africa.

"I don’t think Dennis Lillee or Michael Holding ever bowled a slower ball. I don’t like bowling a slower ball and it is not the duty of a fast bowler to do so."

About his mindset once he has the ball in his hand, Ntini said: "I am the boss out there. I have to knock down anything that moves on the pitch. I don’t like batsmen and I enjoy targeting them. I even enjoyed it when I hit Justin Langer on the head last season."

Looking back at his rural childhood, Ntini said: "I am a farm boy. I used to run after horses and that’s how I gained my fitness. I don’t remember watching any cricket match simply because there was no TV. The only chance I would have to play cricket would be the period between Christmas and New Year."

Coming back to cricket, Ntini did reveal his plans for the Champions Trophy: "It is crucial to find the right line on Indian pitches. You can’t compete with the speed-gun here. I will look at bowling different lines at different stages of the innings."

When a fast bowler has Mr. Bean as his idol, you know that he is dead serious on being funny. He is a character on and off the field and South Africa will need every bit of his efforts in their bid to win the Champions Trophy for a second time after 1998.