ICC World T20
Proteas seek momentum for SA
2010-05-01 13:39
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Gros Islet - Proteas’ captain Graeme Smith sees the ICC World Twenty20 campaign as a wonderful opportunity to create sporting momentum for the country that will flow into the Soccer World Cup as well.
Smith said that the fact that the World Cup would dominate the country for the next few months would not take the pressure off the Proteas in their attempt to win a major ICC tournament.
“It is such an honour for South Africa to be hosting the soccer World Cup,” Smith commented.
“It is an incredible opportunity for our country and the people across South Africa. I know so much hard work has gone into making sure that it is going to be an awesome tournament.
“For us there is a tinge of disappointment that we are not going to be able to share in the tournament. But we have got the opportunity in the next two to three weeks to kick-start a campaign for the country and I don’t think those expectations ever go away.
“People want to see the team do well and we want to do well.”
The Proteas have been keeping an open mind in terms of selection for the opening Group C match against India at Beausejour, St. Lucia, on Sunday (15:30 start, SA time).
Important issues to be decided are whether to play both specialist spinners, Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe, and the composition of the top of the batting order.
Jacques Kallis has done a wonderful job opening the batting for the Bangalore Royal Challengers at the Indian Premier League but the selectors will be loathe to break up the Smith-Loots Bosman combination that was responsible for a world record partnership of 170 the last time the Proteas played a Pro20 International.
Smith indicated that the squad would not necessarily stick with the same opening combination throughout the tournament. This could well apply to the start of the Super 8 phase when the Proteas play four matches in six days.
The decision to rest Albie Morkel, JP Duminy, Dale Steyn and Kallis for much of the warm-up campaign also meant that the Proteas had to follow the two-spinner route in that phase of the build-up.
All 15 players are fit for selection.