Former Proteas opener backs Graeme Smith to regain his form – Cricket News Update
Former South African, Jimmy Cook has backed under fire opener, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GC-Smith-c1473 to soon regain his lost touch after the left-hander’s mediocre performances for the national team.
"Graeme is getting back to where he should be," said former South African opening batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stephen-James-Cook-c91104.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
It includes a lean period where the Proteas underperformed in the World Cup 2011, following which he relinquished his duties as the ODI skipper. He came under considerable pressure from the fans following the exit from tournament, with the player not travelling
back with the team and opted to go to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morgan-c77707 Deane.
He later apologized to the fans and admitted that he should have explained his decision not to return earlier.
It would have seemed that the six-month break that the team got after the World Cup would have helped Smith in gaining his form back. However, his return to the International Cricket has been slow, with the player being dismissed for a duck in the first
T20, followed by mediocre outings in the next two games.
The left-hander finally showed some form in the second ODI, scoring a well compiled 57, where he struck a string of delightful boundaries. Cook, who has been Smith’s mentor in his early playing days, added that the former skipper is mentally tough and has
usually been the one targeted by the opposition.
"I didn’t like what I saw in the Twenty20s, and I suggested a couple of drills. With Gary Kirsten’s blessing perhaps we can have a hit before the Test series.
"Opposing teams tend to come hard at the captain because he has a huge influence on the team; if he is miserable he can take the whole side down with him," Cook said. "But let the Aussies try – they have no chance with someone as mentally strong as Graeme
Smith."
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