Perennial chokers South Africa prepare for ICC World Cup, 2011
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750. The left-handed opening batsman believes that the current team at his disposal has the potential to topple the best in the business
and prove themselves as serious contenders for the biggest prize in international cricket.
The Proteas have not won the tournament yet and have generally exited the event in a dramatic fashion in each of their five appearances, since regaining international status in 1991.
Their run ended in a tragic fashion in 1992 when a rain interruption cost them a place in the semi-final of the event. In 1996, they were sent packing in the quarter-finals, while in two of the last three editions they have ran into
a red hot Australian team in the semi-final.
The only time that they hosted the event, in 2003, saw them crash out in the group stage; once again it was the rain rule that let them down.
This time around they have arguably the most balanced team in terms of the bowling attack.
“We've got two left armers [Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell] which is different and three, frontline spinners [http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Johan-Botha-c67173, Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir]. This is our most varied attack in a long time,” Smith said.
The skipper thinks that the present attack is the best in terms of variety and balance. Over the years the Proteas have relied greatly on their pace bowlers, but this time around they have balanced out the options with the inclusion
of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imran-c64193 Tahir and left arm spinner Robin Peterson
Smith compared the present attack with the one for the 1992 World Cup when the team did not have any decent spinner in their ranks
“Back then, South African cricket was still very young in terms of readmission into sport. There were a lot of building blocks that needed to be put in place,” he said.
Meanwhile, Smith is contemplating if he can risk the seasoned-pro Jacques Kallis in the first match of the event against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760.
Smith spoke to the media after his team’s practice session in Dhaka; he thinks that Kallis can be eased into the tournament and it was not necessary to have him make an appearance early on while he recovers from a rib injury.
“I don't feel the need to put him under pressure today to be ready tomorrow. Having him fit is a big asset so we will manage him well upfront,” he said.
Other than Kallis, the addition of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morne-van-Wyk-c2025 to the squad is being seen as an aggressive move. The experienced batsman is expected to play an important part, especially in the games that Kallis sits out.
While the Proteas have grown strength from strength in recent years, they have failed to win any major ICC trophy. Smith hopes that 2011 would finally be the year when his country breaks the jinx. South Africa will open their
World Cup campaign against the West Indies on 24 February, 2011 in New http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780.
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