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Champions for once: aim to be Proteas

Zeecric Bureau



Centurion: South African cricket team is on cloud nine! Primarily, they indeed are the world champions, as far as the ODI rankings are concerned. And secondly, they are hosting a big-budgeted highly prestigious mega event, that is, the Champions Trophy.

However, for Graeme Smith and his men, it is important to also win the tournament. They are a team, which are devoid of winning a major ICC tournament till date. Though they have won some major series over the past two years, against England and Australia, winning the Champions Trophy would definitely add an extraordinary feather to their caps.

“These are things we have worked for. Two to three years ago we started a plan and we wanted to be number one in both forms of the game, and we are the only team bar Australia to achieve it. For us to have those trophies in the cabinet is a credit to how we play the game, how we’ve been successful around the world.”

It is almost after 5 months that South Africa is playing
an international game, and considering the fact that it is Champions Trophy, a mistake and lack of form of even the minutest of magnitude cannot be afforded.

“This is our first challenge in two-three months, so we walk straight in after that to a big day, big game, big tournament,” Smith said.

South Africa will play the opener match against Sri Lanka at the Centurion.


Opener Herschelle Gibbs’ absence from the game might not be a major set-back for the team if Hashim Amla, who will partner Smith, can replicate his performance of the recent Test matches he played.

As far as the bowling is concerned, the team has the right combination of the pace and spin. Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe are the prime spinners Smith intends to use in the match. “Over the last year and a half, Botha has become one of the best ODI bowlers,” Smith said. “He’s become an integral part of this format and it will be no different here tomorrow. He knows the ground well and has played a lot of cricket here. With Roelof, he forms a good combo.”

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