LIVE analysis, Can South Africa win the World Cup under Graeme Smith’s Captaincy? – ICC World Cup 2011
South Africa emerged onto the global cricket competition in 1992 and surprised everyone by reaching the semi-final in their very first World Cup appearance. Proteas have always been a tough side to compete with
as they are blessed with some quality all-round cricketers. Graeme Smith took over captaincy after South Africa’s poor performance in the 2003 World cup. He was handed the reins at the age of 22, which made him his country's youngest captain ever.
He had played just 22 one-day internationals (ODIs), when he became the captain but signs were already there that he would make a formidable player and leader. Smith is aggressive and strategic, both as a captain and as
a batsman. His achievements as a batsman are significant, but the most important accomplishment of his career is the fact that under Smith, the confidence of South Africans, both within and outside of the national team and its structures, has been rebuilt.
Smith has the ability to lead from the front and impose himself on the opposition. In his 8 years of captaincy, he led http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 in 142 matches in which Proteas won 87 clashes and lost 49. The 63 percent win ratio is
the 3rdhighest, after Cronje and Pollock, among the captains who led the South Africa in more than 10 matches.
Under Smith’s captaincy, the side had achieved the number one status in the Test world, and beat http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in a Test series in Australia. He is one of the most consistent and senior captain in the world, after
Ricky Ponting. As a player, in 165 ODIs, Smith has scored over 6000 runs at an average of 40, which is considerably good for an opener. Smith is also a part time off-break bowler who can steal wickets on important occasions.
Smith's leadership and his batting are all about being direct and upfront. The subtleties of captaincy have grown into his game while his excellent show with the bat proved his ability to inspire the team. Not that he has never shown ill judgment or never
crossed the line however; he has largely been controversy free and has spent less time with the match-referee than most of the captains.
Among the six players to have scored over 5000 runs as captain in ODIs, Smith's average of 39.64 is second only to Ricky Ponting's 43.58. Smith has performed much better in ODI chases than while batting first. He averages
over 47 with six centuries batting second, but only 32.75 with two hundreds while batting first. He averages 47.58 in ODI wins, scoring over 4000 runs with seven centuries
South Africa has never won the ICC showpiece event and under Graeme Smith, the 2011 World Cup is their last chance to do so, since Smith will step down from captaincy after the event. According to the skipper, his team
is better prepared for the 2011 World Cup, than the side he led in the 2007 edition of the World Cup. Smith is playing his third World Cup as a player and second as captain. Players are under so much pressure of the mega event but Proteas are determined and
going to the big event for nothing except victory.
Smith would definitely want to register his name in the history by winning the World Cup under his captaincy and then quit leadership with satisfaction and pride. South Africa is going to start their World Cup
campaign with a match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760. Their 30 years old captain and team will undoubtedly try their best to come first in this game and in the tournament as well. All they need is to turn close-games into their favour and that can only happen when captain
leads from the front. Smith, as a skipper should be relaxed in terms of crossing hurdles step by step. His team stands as good a chance as any of the other leading teams and they are most certainly one of the favourites going into the ICC World Cup 2011.
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