Graeme Smith on target to be fit for tour of England – Cricket News Update
South Africa’s Test captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, scheduled to begin on July 19 at the Kennington Oval in London.
“Graeme has responded well to the surgery on his ankle and started with his rehabilitation programme this week,” confirmed Mohammed Moosajee, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 team manager.
“We are very pleased with the progress he is making, and at this stage he is on target to be fit for the tour to England.”
Smith had been troubled by chronic pain in his left ankle over the past two months. An impingement syndrome of the ankle was diagnosed by Cricket South Africa's ankle specialist, after which he underwent surgery earlier this month, saying that it would be
a relief to have the problem fixed, keeping in view the hectic team schedule ahead.
The subsequent recovery period, estimated to last for around 8 to 10 weeks, ruled Smith out of the currently ongoing 5th season of the Indian Premier League, during which he was due to play for the Pune http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Warriors-c861.
“I'm very disappointed to be missing out on the IPL this year. I was looking forward to my second season with Pune Warriors,” he had stated earlier.
However, his national commitments are likely to remain unaffected, as he expressed confidence in his ability to lead the team against the Poms.
“The tour to England is an important one for the Proteas, and I'm confident that I will be 100% fit and able to lead the team by then,” Smith said.
Smith’s most recent achievements include a series win against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754. The upcoming extended-overs series includes 3 Tests, and will play a vital role in determining
the Proteas’ status on International Cricket Council’s Test team rankings.
The South African team is currently at number 2 on the rankings, directly below the Poms, with a rating of 116. They came close to claiming the top spot when England, following a humiliating Test whitewash at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, took on the Sri Lankans
earlier this year – if the visitors had lost the series, the Proteas would have moved up to first. However, the chance was lost when the English went on to draw the series, claiming a priceless win in the second Test.
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