The South African cricket team were buoyant on Tuesday after their three-day training camp at the High Performance Centre at the Tuks sports ground, and ahead of the first Castle Lager/MTN Test against England in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
Team captain Graeme Smith said the team were really focused ahead of the Test, and he expected a hard battle against England.
But he declined to make much out of South Africa A’s seven-wicket over the visitors in Potchefstroom on Monday, ”There’s a different focus for warm-up games,” said Smith.
”I expect England to be really focused for the Test, but we will also be very focused.
”We’re very confident, we’ve worked hard and we’re backing ourselves to win in our home conditions. It’s important we play to our potential.”
He discounted suggestions that South Africa were the underdogs in the series. ”We don’t see ourselves as underdogs,” he said.
”We’re going out there to win.”
Smith said all the players were very excited about the coming series.
”We don’t often get the opportunity to play a series at home. The English play a lot of series at home, but we basically get one a year. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to perform in front of our own people,” he said.
”It’s a big one for us, and we can turn a lot around in this series. If we can beat England, who are six or seven points ahead of us in the world rankings, suddenly everything’s different.
”We realise that it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be hard-fought, but we’re evenly matched sides and we’re going out there to win and to dominate.”
He conceded that the and team would target him for special attention after his excellent performance in England in 2003, but said the South African team would also target specific England players. ”I think the good factor for us is that we’ve got the guys who can win matches. But we’ve also got some young unknowns and
they have the potential to go and do the same. That’s in our favour — we might lack a little experience but we’ve got the advantage of having a few unknowns.
”I do expect the English to be very well prepared,” he added.
”Duncan spends a lot of time in South Africa, and I expect them to have game plans for each batter and each bowler. We expect that, and we’re going to have the same.”
Smith added that he couldn’t go anywhere without people stopping him in the street, and telling him to ‘go and beat the Poms’. ”So the public are behind us, and they want to win and we want to win.
”I’m certainly looking forward to being part of this series. As a young guy, you dream of an opportunity like this, and I can’t wait.” – Sapa