Ken Borland

Smith says SA not mentally tough enough 0

Posted on January 02, 2012 by Ken

South Africa captain Graeme Smith described his team as not being mentally tough enough ahead of the series-deciding third test against Sri Lanka starting at Newlands on Tuesday.
South Africa won the first test at Centurion by an innings, but then suffered an ignominious 208-run defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka in last week’s test in Durban.
“I can’t fault the training nor the effort, they’ve been outstanding. But mentally we need to be a bit stronger, that’s the only thing I can put my finger on. We just didn’t adapt well to conditions in Durban and recently, we haven’t played our best cricket in those conditions. But when we’ve toured the sub-continent, we’ve adapted well, so maybe it is more of a mindset thing.
“It’s easier for us when the ball does go through and there’s good carry, but when it doesn’t, we need to adapt, we need to shift mentally,” Smith told a news conference at Newlands on Monday.
Sri Lanka, having failed to win their eight previous tests in South Africa before coming to Durban, were seen as rank underdogs but can now win the series if they beat the hosts in Cape Town.

“We have had a very hard time here and before the series, everyone was saying that we are underdogs and can’t beat South Africa. But if we play our brand of cricket and stick to the basics, then we believe that we can perform in any conditions,” Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said.

South Africa have made two changes to their starting XI for the third test, with 34-year-old left-handed batsman Ashwell Prince being dropped after he scored just 11, being caught reverse-sweeping, and seven, during which he was complicit in the running out of Hashim Amla for 51, in Durban.

Alviro Petersen replaces Prince and will open the batting with Smith, with Jacques Rudolph dropping down to number six.

Seamer Vernon Philander, who has taken 24 wickets in his first three tests, will return to the side after he suffered a minor knee injury in Durban. Marchant de Lange is the unfortunate bowler to stand down after he took seven wickets in the first innings of the second test.

Sri Lanka are waiting on the fitness of wicketkeeper/batsman Dinesh Chandimal, who entered test cricket with a bang at Kingsmead, scoring half-centuries in each innings, but was struck a nasty blow on the elbow while batting in the nets on Sunday.

“Chandimal’s elbow is getting better, but it’s a bruise in a nasty place. It would be a loss for us if he can’t play, because he did a great job for us in the last test,” Dilshan said.

The fitness of Dilhara Fernando is also in doubt, with Dilshan saying the veteran pace bowler was suffering from knee pain. The 28-year-old seamer Dhammika Prasad is in line to take his place.

For South Africa, the pressure is on for them to put another infuriatingly inconsistent year behind them and start 2012 with a win.

“All these ups and downs – it’s been the story of my career! I’ve played under that pressure since I was 22 and I was probably stupid enough to take the captaincy at that age! But it’s about bouncing back and getting things right over the next five days,” Smith said.

South Africa team – Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Jacques Rudolph, Mark Boucher, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

Probable Sri Lanka team – Tharanga Paranavitana, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhammika Prasad, Thisara Perera, Rangana Herath, Chanaka Welegedara.

Tags: Graeme Smith mentally tough Newlands series-deciding South Africa Sri Lanka third Test
Category Cricket, Sport

Smith’s been kicked around … but still cheerful 0

Posted on January 02, 2012 by Ken

Graeme Smith may have felt like he had been kicked around like a football on the beach in the summer holidays in the aftermath of the Kingsmead fiasco, but the South African captain was a cheerful but thoroughly determined figure on the eve of the Newlands test against Sri Lanka.

Smith acknowledged that the team had let themselves down in the shock 208-run defeat in Durban and it was up to them to put things right in Cape Town from Tuesday, and win the series.

“It’s been a pretty tough time, an embarrassing one or two days because we didn’t perform to the standards expected of us. We’ve taken a few blows over the last few days, but we need to overcome the emotions and play a lot tougher. We need to make Sri Lanka earn things a lot more than we did in Durban.

“All these ups and downs – it’s been the story of my career! I’ve played under that pressure since I was 22 and I was stupid enough to take the captaincy at that age! But it’s about bouncing back and getting things right over the next five days,” Smith said at Newlands on Monday.

Having been hammered by a Sri Lankan side that had looked hopelessly outclassed in the first test, Smith conceded that the South Africans needed to lift themselves mentally.

“I can’t fault the training nor the effort, they’ve been outstanding, especially since Gary Kirsten came on board. But mentally we need to be a bit stronger, that’s the only thing I can put my finger on.

“We just didn’t adapt well to conditions in Durban and recently, we haven’t played our best cricket in those conditions. But when we’ve toured the sub-continent, we’ve adapted well, so maybe it is more of a mindset thing.

“It’s easier for us when the ball does go through and there’s good carry, but when it doesn’t, we need to adapt, we need to shift mentally,” Smith said.

The captain also confirmed the starting XI for the test, with two changes being made to the team that failed at Kingsmead.

Vernon Philander is back up and running again and will return in place of Marchant de Lange, who is probably the first bowler to take seven wickets in an innings and then be left out of the next test!

Alviro Petersen has also been called up to open the batting with Smith, with Jacques Rudolph dropping down the order to number six to replace Ashwell Prince.

“I faced Vernon in the nets and he had good zip. He’ll bring a bit more structure into the attack – he knows how to get people out, but he’s got good control too.

“Alviro will also come up front with me, with Jacques going to six, and he’s carrying some terrific form into the game,” Smith said.

Whatever the personnel, it is the team as a whole that needs to react positively to whatever conditions they come across – and they won’t be as seam-friendly as they were for the last test at Newlands, against Australia in November. The South African camp was grumpy from the outset in Durban at the pitch not being as pacy and bouncy as they have come to expect … The collective eye may well have been taking off the ball as a result, leading to the most embarrassing defeat at home since the return from isolation.

<b>South Africa team</b> – Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Jacques Rudolph, Mark Boucher, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

Tags: Graeme Smith Kingsmead Newlands South Africa Sri Lanka Test
Category Cricket, Sport

SA halve deficit despite late breakthrough 0

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Ken

Graeme Smith scored a half-century as South Africa halved their first-innings deficit with nine wickets in hand at stumps on the first day of the first test against Sri Lanka at Centurion on Thursday.

Seam bowler Vernon Philander had earlier claimed five wickets as South Africa dismissed Sri Lanka for 180 at tea, before replying with 90 for one by the close of play.

Smith and opening partner Jacques Rudolph batted out 32.5 overs, the pair of left-handers putting on 88 in that time.

Smith looked in fine form as he stroked seven fours in his 61 off 105 deliveries, while Rudolph struggled with his timing and reached 27 not out off 98 balls at stumps.

Captain Smith fell just six minutes before the close, playing around a full delivery from Dilhara Fernando to be trapped lbw.

He had gone to his 30th half-century in his 94th test off 80 balls by driving medium-pacer Thisara Perera beautifully through mid-on for four.

Sri Lanka’s bowers were steady, but they struggled to obtain the same assistance the South Africans did, even though the home attack sprayed the ball around disconcertingly at times.
South Africa’s much-vaunted attack were struggling in helpful conditions as Thilan Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews added 65 for the fifth wicket off just 80 balls.
The pair took Sri Lanka to 156 for four before Philander struck three times in four overs to complete his third five-wicket haul in three tests.
Philander’s destructive burst began with two wickets in successive deliveries, both given out on review, as Samaraweera (36) edged an excellent delivery that nipped away off the seam and Kaushal Silva was adjudged to have brushed the ball with his glove as it flew to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher down the leg side.
Perera took a single off the hat-trick ball, but only lasted till the next over when he failed to read an Imran Tahir googly and Jacques Kallis made a stunning reflex catch at slip as the edge bounced off Boucher’s thigh.
Sri Lanka had lost three wickets in five balls to slump to 157 for seven and Philander struck again to have Mathews caught by Kallis for 38.
Philander made full use of the grass on the pitch to claim five for 53 in 13 overs, becoming the first South African to claim three five-wicket hauls in his first three tests.
Dale Steyn produced a couple of top-class away swingers to bowl Chanaka Welegedara (4) and Fernando (0) with successive deliveries, ending the Sri Lankan innings on the stroke of tea.
Steyn had earlier removed Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene, who edged a back-foot drive into the slips for 30, the fast bowler finishing with impressive figures of four for 18 in 10.4 overs.
Captain Dilshan’s rash shot gave Sri Lanka a poor start and they battled to 76 for three at lunch after being put into bat.
Dilshan, on six, tried to on-drive a swinging delivery from Steyn on the up and looped a catch to Philander at wide mid-on.
Former captain Kumar Sangakkara lasted just three balls before Philander made a delivery rear up and inducing an edgel to second slip, where Kallis took a well-judged catch.
Sri Lanka were reeling on 12 for two, but Tharanga Paranavitana and the experienced Jayawardene batted with intense concentration in a sensible third-wicket stand of 54.
Steyn’s first wicket was his 250th in tests, the 28-year-old reaching the landmark in his 49th game.
Only Dennis Lillee has taken 250 wickets in fewer tests, the Australian fast bowler reaching the milestone in his 48th match.

Tags: Centurion first day first Test Graeme Smith lunch South Africa Sri Lanka Tillakaratne Dilshan Vernon Philander
Category Cricket, Sport

Favourites SA looking for ruthless edge 0

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Ken

South Africa go into Thursday’s first test against Sri Lanka at Centurion as overwhelming favourites, but captain Graeme Smith said on Wednesday that they wanted to discover a ruthless edge to their play.

Although South Africa have maintained a position in the top three of the International Cricket Council test rankings for the last few years, they have not won a series at home since beating Bangladesh in 2008/9.

They have drawn series with England, India and Australia since then.

“I hope we get a lot of confidence out of the way we play. We’ve played some really good cricket at home, but we just haven’t been able to land that killer blow. We’ve dominated, but we haven’t done enough to get over the line,” Smith told a news conference at Centurion on Wednesday.

“I’m hoping we can string three good sessions together instead of just two out of three … that’s probably why we haven’t been able to beat the good teams. Hopefully we can string a whole day together against Sri Lanka.”

To make matters worse for the Sri Lankans, they were greeted by a pitch with a lush green covering of grass on Wednesday, conditions exactly the opposite to what they are used to at home.

“The pitch looks pretty green. I think the groundsman’s having a bit of a panic, he’ll be wanting heaters and I reckon there’ll be a tent up over the pitch this afternoon,” Smith said. “He only started preparing the pitch on Monday and he desperately needs some sunshine. I’m sure he hoped for more sunshine than he got.”

Sri Lanka captain Tillekaratne Dilshan said they were just going to have to perform on whatever surface they were given.

“The pitch looks good for fast bowlers, all fast bowlers will enjoy it. We have no control over the groundsman, we just have to play on that wicket. It’s definitely the greenest pitch I’ve seen in South Africa, even more than in 2002/3.”

Sri Lanka’s pace bowling reserves were decimated before the tour by injuries to Nuwan Kulasekara, Dhammika Prasad, Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal, while the tourists were still waiting for a replacement for the 25-year-old Nuwan Pradeep, who strained his hamstring in a warm-up game last weekend.

Sri Lanka have taken some encouragement out of their performance in that warm-up match, against a SA Invitation XI in Benoni. The visitors dismissed the home side for 357 and then made 207 for three in reply in a rain-shortened game.

“Our last test against Pakistan went very well, we came back strongly after losing the previous game. And the bowling unit did a great job on a really flat pitch and the top-order batsmen got runs in the warm-up,” Dilshan said.

While South Africa have the expectation of being favourites to live up to, their veteran wicketkeeper Mark Boucher is under enormous pressure to score runs and save his international career after 141 tests.

The 35-year-old has scored just 195 runs in his last dozen innings at an average of 17.72, but Smith said he backed Boucher to come good.

“Bouch is coming into the game with calm focus. He’s worked hard on aspects of his batting and I hope all the hard work comes off for him. As a team, we’re collectively behind Bouch, and I’m really excited with the way he’s trained, he’s looked good in the nets. He’s always an asset for a team, with his experience and the way he handles the bowlers,” Smith said.

Sri Lanka are hoping their luck will turn in South Africa, having lost six and drawn one of their seven tests in the republic.

The Centurion test is the first Sri Lanka have played in South Africa since 2002/3. The second test is in Durban from December 26 and the third in Cape Town from January 3.

Tags: Centurion first Test Graeme Smith South Africa Sri Lanka
Category Cricket, Sport

Smith says SA not mentally tough enough 0

Smith’s been kicked around … but still cheerful 0

SA halve deficit despite late breakthrough 0

Favourites SA looking for ruthless edge 0

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