Bob Woolmer was a hard act to follow

The dynamics of ball striking and the technical complexities of sport came easily to Ford, but his modesty and disinterest in plaudits also results in a work ethic unmatched even by the fittest, most dedicated of players.

He realised soon after his appointment that he would be unable to maintain his standards and remain in one piece so he asked for, and was given, an assistant.

Not that Ford ever calls Corrie van Zyl his assistant.

"We are a team of equals as far as me and the squad are concerned," 41-year-old Ford says categorically.

But Van Zyl, a year younger, knows his place, adding: "Fordy accepted the responsibility of the position first and therefore he is more accountable than me. He is the boss."

The two men have grown closer than many brothers during their two and half years in charge.

One is English speaking and the other Afrikaans but apart from that almost everything else is common ground.

They share a fear of flying strong enough to send them on an eight hour, overnight train in India.

Ford's tennis racket is usually close at hand

A longing for home and the frustrations of being away from a young family also occupy much of their time on tour.

"We've spent so much time together now that we share our problems and worries. It lightens the load and makes life on the road a lot more fun," says van Zyl.

In the nets, Ford spends more time with the batsmen while Van Zyl, an impressive paceman who played against the West Indies in South Africa's second post-isolation tour in 1992, works with the bowlers.

But Ford says: "It's too simplistic to say that we divide the duties like that because we swap over quite often.

"Corrie does take responsibility for the bowlers but he also works with the batsmen and I help the bowlers. We are a team."

As fit and as strong as they are, both men admit to having to use cortisone and pain killers to ease the burden of throwing balls to out-of-form batsmen in the nets for up to five hours a day.

South Africa triumph in the West Indies

The players, particularly Shaun Pollock who began his career with Ford at Natal, have nothing but affection for their 'facilitators'.

Which sportsman would not appreciate one coach prepared to work himself to the bone for no obvious reward, let alone two?

In one of his first interviews after his appointment as coach, Ford let slip that his greatest ambition in the game, greater than winning the World Cup, was to win a Test series in Australia.

He now regrets saying it.

"I'm a man who sets little goals and focuses on them, rather than looking too far ahead," he explains.

"This game has a habit of biting you on the bum when you make big statements or look ahead too far."