South Africa cricket captain Graeme Smith looked forward with confidence on Wednesday to the World Cup starting in West Indies next month after his team completed a 3-1 one-day series triumph over Pakistan.
Inspired by a five-wicket haul by 33-year-old paceman Shaun Pollock, South Africa defeated Pakistan by nine wickets. They defeated India 4-0 in a preceding series.
”The confidence within the whole set-up is extremely high and every individual has contributed this summer. The success has been so important for us because we believe in ourselves and hopefully it bodes well for a place in the World Cup final,” Smith told reporters.
Pakistan, who lost the fourth match in the series in Cape Town last weekend by 10 wickets with 36 overs to spare and were defeated by nine wickets with 21.4 overs remaining on Wednesday, will go to the Caribbean in a completely different frame of mind.
”Our last two performances have been very worrying for the whole team,” captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said. ”I am definitely very disappointed. There is a very short time before the World Cup, but we must just try and play better over there. We have to concentrate on improving all three skills — batting, bowling and fielding.”
Pollock, who was named man-of-the-series after taking nine wickets for 168 runs from 50 overs, said his body had not been at 100% throughout the series but added he was bowling with a lot of confidence.
”If you have that belief that you’re going to bowl in the right areas, then it makes a big difference,” he said.
”I’ve been through whole series where the opposition have left me alone and then you don’t pick up many wickets. But if they decide to target me then I’m always in with a chance if they make a mistake.
”I just concentrate on what I do best and that means putting the ball in the right area to get a wicket.”
South Africa will announce their 15 players for the World Cup on Thursday. – Reuters