Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith
Graeme Craig Smithis a former South African cricketer and former captain of the South African cricket team Test side, having succeeded Shaun Pollock after the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He was succeeded as captain of the ODI side by AB de Villiers after the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He is also currently the overseas player and captain of English side Surrey. He appeared in his 100th Test against England on 19 July 2012. He captained his 100th career Test match...
ProfessionCricket Player
Date of Birth1 February 1981
batting came cricket drawing minds moving needs negative option positive team teams
The whole team wanted to be positive and wanted to go for a win. Cricket needs positive games. It doesn't need teams batting out and drawing games. For us, as a team moving forward, we're young and we need to be positive. To set a declaration and to try to go for a win was in our minds the only way to play. The negative option never came in.
batting focus helps hoping medical rather second staff until waited
Sometimes, when you're batting with an injury, it helps you to focus your mind, and I'm hoping that will be the case. The medical staff would rather I waited until the second Test, but I really want to get out there and play.
batting bowling gives jacques somewhere stability
Obviously, Jacques gives us another bowling option, and he'll (also) give us a lot of stability somewhere in the batting order.
backed batting chunk gone order ourselves top twice
We thought after having gone through their top order twice in Centurion and with the moisture in the wicket here, we backed ourselves to get a big chunk in their batting order.
backed batting bowlers chunk created gamble hours paid three
We backed our bowlers to take a big chunk out of their batting order, and in the first two or three hours we created a lot of chances. But I would have to say the gamble hasn't paid off.
batting cricket drawing itself morning needs positive team teams
Everyone in the whole team wanted to be positive this morning and go for a win. Cricket itself needs positive games. It doesn't need teams batting out and drawing games.
against batting difficult fact game knew last lost middle
Definitely. We're not disappointed with the fact that we got bowled out in the last innings, the disappointing thing for us is that we had opportunities but didn't take them. We always knew that batting last against the two spinners would be difficult but it was in the middle of the game that we lost it.
boys coming few good might news
We might have to have a few more boys coming over and the news isn't too good with Jacques.
ability bat bowlers credit fast showing
We had the ability to bat all day, but credit to Chaminda (Vaas) for showing some of our fast bowlers how to come and do it on these kind of pitches,
doubt seriously
I seriously doubt we will go in with two spinners.
exploit great
It would be great if we could exploit that.
It would pretty much look like he's going home.
country excited playing quite unknown
The wicket will probably be quite dry. He's an unknown talent. He's young, he's exuberant, he's really excited about playing for his country and that's good.
both guys hundred innings mike momentum took
Both guys we put down in the first innings went on to make hundreds. We really had the momentum and Mike Hussey's hundred at the back (of the first innings) took it away from us.