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Andre Nel has warned England's bowlers that trying to get the better of Australia's new batting star Phillip Hughes will be the toughest challenge they face this summer.
Nel took 123 wickets in 36 Tests for South Africa, during which he claimed the scalps of many of the world's best batsmen. But the 31-year-old admitted he had no answer to Hughes's unorthodox style, with the opening batsman scoring 195 for Middlesex against Nel's Surrey side in a Division Two match earlier this month.
The New South Wales left-hander scored 574 runs in three first-class matches during his six-week stay at Lord's, at an average of 143.5, and Nel said: "Hughes is unique. He is so hard to bowl to - completely different from anyone I've bowled to before.
"It is easy to see why he gets so many runs, because he has so many different areas he can score in. He has been by far the most difficult opponent I have faced this year.
"I have bowled at unorthodox batsmen before in international cricket but most of them still look to score in specific areas. As a bowler, you can therefore develop an idea of what they are going to do.
"Although West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul looks very unorthodox, you can figure out what he might do when you bowl to him in certain areas but Hughes seems to think differently.
"The other thing that impresses me about him is that he doesn't seem to get fussed very quickly. He just loves batting and scores runs and he appears to have a very good temperament.
"No one knows how to bowl to him and people still don't know a great deal about him, so I can see him being quite a handful this summer."
Nel's sole reservation about Hughes is how the 20-year-old adapts to facing the Duke ball. Nel and his Second Division colleagues have been using the Tiflex ball this season, which the paceman believes swings less than the Duke. "It will be interesting to see how he adjusts," Nel added.
Nel predicts a 2-1 win for Australia in the Ashes but his primary focus remains lifting Surrey back to the top of the first-class game after signing a three-year contract with the county.
A relaxed and thoughtful figure off the cricket field, Nel is nevertheless a spiky presence on it, and he was quickly identified by Surrey's new coaching team as a man who could improve the younger players.
His influence was apparent as Surrey beat Hampshire by one run in the Twenty20 Cup on Wednesday, when Nel offered advice to young fast bowler Jade Dernbach, who held his nerve in the final over to ensure they won.
Four-day cricket has proved more difficult, with Surrey - who were relegated last season - lying second-bottom of Division Two after failing to win any of their opening three matches.
But Nel is confident that better form is around the corner and is relishing his role as the senior member of the bowling attack. "I am really enjoying it," he revealed. "There are some good young bowlers here. They just need to play a few more matches to develop."
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