A win against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 in the series will be a boost for the World Cup: Graeme Smith
The South African skipper, Graeme Smith has set his eyes on the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and hopes that a series win against the touring Indian side would serve as a boost for the big tournament set to begin from the 19th of February in the Subcontinent.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 are currently hosting India in a five-match ODI series. The hosts won the first match, however, the tourists bounced back in the second and third match, giving South Africa quite a run for their money. South Africa managed to level the series
2-2 by winning the rain-hit fourth match at Port Elizabeth.
With the series equally poised, the Proteas skipper hopes that his side would win the last match of the series, which will serve as a big boost for the team.
The final match on Sunday, at the Centurion, will be Smith's last match as skipper on home soil because he had earlier announced that he will be leaving the South African captaincy after the 2011 World Cup.
Smith, while talking to the press, said, "Obviously we'd love to finish the series strong tomorrow and freshen up for the World Cup, which is going to be six weeks of having to be in your best. The World Cup is an opportunity that I want to give one good
go with the guys".
The opening left-handed batsman, talking about his decision, said, "I'm pretty comfortable. I've made my decision in terms of where I'm going in my career and where the team needs to go. I would definitely love to win the World Cup and go out on a high".
Smith reiterated that he had a great time as a skipper and a player for South Africa and this was something that he would always cherish. "It's been great for me- a long seven years. I had my good moments and people have given me a lot of support and have
showed a lot of faith in me. So I'm grateful. It's a job which I really respected and honored, and it was really special for me", he said.
Smith, talking about his experience playing against Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Indian team, said, "We have learned some important lessons in this series in terms of being slightly more street smart. And I think that's important for us going into the World Cup.
These games were pressure games for us, it was important for us to come back and do well".
India have never been a formidable side while touring South Africa in the past. But this time, the hosts were rattled by the tourists, who first managed to draw a three-match Test series and then dragged the ODI series to the final match.
South Africa have a good combination of players for the World Cup and the variety in the squad makes them serious contenders for the upcoming cricket's most prestigious event of the year.
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