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Mickey: Proteas want Trophy

2009-09-01 08:13

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Eduan Roos

Potchefstroom – The South African cricket team is poised to end its victory drought in major tournaments, says Proteas coach Mickey Arthur on the eve of the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

The tournament, which is contested between the world's top eight one-day sides, starts at the end of this month.

South Africa have only won the tournament once in their five previous attempts – in Bangladesh in 1998.

The Proteas have not been able to emerge triumphant from five World Cup tournaments and two Twenty20 World Cups.

However, Arthur said that they were "more determined than ever" to put this right.

"I can assure the public that we can't wait to win a tournament of the International Cricket Council (ICC)," he said from Potchefstroom, where the Proteas are holding the first of two training camps before the so-called mini World Cup.

"We put the guys through a tough fitness session and from Monday we started working hard on skill levels."

He said the players' break of approximately two months was "well deserved".

Your Comments

Ferdinand9/2/2009 1:15 PM: Anti Ferdinand AB is a natural athlete, supremely gifted but he's developing some chunk that was not there a season or two ago and it's not muscle mate, it's flab. He'll still be great in the field but he is getting fat, wait n see!

bot9/2/2009 10:28 AM: 1 Tonner you are the king. I see you know everything about everything. Why is it you re not playing or coaching, better still player and coach. Oh sorry I just remembered you think bowling 30 overs of spin is easy. Which proves you know nohing. YOU CHOP. Wake up!

hoo boy...9/2/2009 2:45 AM: @@Sharon... LOL!!! Well put! Statistically one day the Chokeas will win a tournament cos in either the semis or the final the opposing team will choke even worse. The harder you try not to choke the harder you choke. The poor sods are concentrating on their "fitness" and "skills" but the problem is in their minds. How do you go from a choker to a winner? Nobody knows. Nobody younger than 80 can ever remember the Chokeas winning anything, so expectations of victory are a healthy zero.

@Sharon9/1/2009 5:23 PM: Maybe they should do fitness training with the boks. Can you imagine PdV and the manne will laugh themselves JITS. The FLAB 3 (Smith, Boucher and Kallis) wouldn't keep up with the front row. They will die. ome say the Smit is too small at Tight-Head. Maybe Smith can give him some tips on piling on the weight.

sharon 9/1/2009 3:33 PM: I wish the Proteas all the best if they are knocked out in the Semis well Champions never give up there will be a next & a next until you get it right we will always support you. Just sing the national anthem like the boks & maybe you guys might win.

Anti Ferdinand9/1/2009 3:18 PM: AB getting fat too hey? What do you base this on?I happen to know AB personally and saw him a couple of times this last month, mate if that is the definition of getting fat then I am really worried. Shut up if you dont know what you are talking about

1_Tonner 9/1/2009 1:13 PM: @bot - I'm Proudly South African and support the Proteas all the way. Unfortunately winning is not enough (Ask PdV). We want to dominate the sport for the next few decades like the Ausies did for a while. Just because I support SA does not mean I have to agree with every decision or statement made eg. calling for Mike Proctor's head when an out of form and under-achieving Morne Morkel was not selected. Fact - Smith, Kallis and Boucher are FAT. If we want these guys to play for another 3 to 5 years then they need to get into shape. Gilly, McGrath and Hayden played until they were in their late 30's. Smith won't last if he does not get his weight down. FYI - English soccer supporters boo their own players and call for the coaches head as well. They are passionate about their team and sport. I'm passionate about SA cricket.

Mark9/1/2009 12:39 PM: Hey Mickey - unfortunately the Proteas aren't the only team who want the trophy. I bet you we don't win it. As much as I would love to win it, or any major trophy for that matter, we will simply choke, again.

1_Tonner9/1/2009 11:21 AM: @Chris -1 Tonner is a bit of a back-hander to the fatties. Sorry you couldn't figure that out. I'm 6 ft and weigh in at 79kg, which is not bad for a 32 year old. Graeme Smith scored double hundreds back in the day when he was fit. He has the ability to be great and score double and tripple tons, but I think the weight is holding him back. Mind you Kallis hasn't scored a double ever and we know he definitely has the technique and head to concerntrate for long spells. Cricket and rugby are two very different codes. Cricket fit and Rugby fit is completely different. We are also not in the 90's anymore. Lamb, Boon and Hughs won't make the current Ausie team. Regarding Warne - There is a big difference between bowling 30 overs of spin and bowling 6 overs of pace or having the legs to score a ton. If you ever played the game you would understand this. Maybe this is also why Warne has never scored a ton even though he is very capable with the bat and played over 100 tests.

Ferdinand9/1/2009 10:51 AM: They'll CHOKE I'm 100% sure of that. Kallis will bat through the match that gets them knocked out. They never learn!!!!! @1_Tonner: So true! I can't believe how pro-athletes can allow themselves to get that fat in modern sports. Oh and AB is getting fat too, watch him.

bot9/1/2009 10:50 AM: I just love people who back their team no matter what. And you call yourselves South African supporters, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Why is it that because we loose a couple of tournaments you all hate them and everyone could do a much better job. The fact is you can't do a better job, so SHUT UP. I think we should all take a feather out of the English football fans. They support their teams no matter what. Well said Chris.

Gavin9/1/2009 10:04 AM: HAHAHAHAHAHA, Danny, well said!!!! Go guys, all the way to the Semi's!!!! Chokers!!!!

Chris9/1/2009 9:57 AM: Attention: 1-tonner, judging by your name you must be quite large yourself, so how can you tell them to get fit when you yourself are probably overweight. True they have been on the big side in recent years, however they still seem to perfom at a professional level and quite sucessfully I might add. Secondly, scoring double centuries is not all that common, so why state a random comment like that. It like saying that Habana is playing poorly because he hasn't scored a hat trick of tries in the last two years. Thirdly, Bangladesh is not a bad team, yes they are not up there with the likes of England and Australian sides but nevertheless they are still a decent team and its never a walk over with them. When last did the Springbok side laugh at the prospect of playing against Samoa? They might not be up there with the greats but they are still a tough opponent. Please leave the coaching and decision-making to the professionals! PS: Shane Warne and Merv Hughes were fatties in their day but still remain legends!

Trev9/1/2009 9:46 AM: Get as fit and skillful as you like but with no BMT the side is going nowhere.Last 10 years tournaments speak volumes.

chris9/1/2009 9:20 AM: ha ha , make botha cappy my be ,

SA Granny9/1/2009 8:47 AM: Have our fatties lost some weight during the break?

Exoteric9/1/2009 8:38 AM: Your track record in quarter finals says BMT she is a problem, we will back you all anyway, go boys!

Skipper9/1/2009 8:37 AM: Mickey, rather let the players do the talking on the field! Go Proteas!!!!

1_Tonner9/1/2009 8:35 AM: I hope Smithie, Kallis and Boucher did some fitness training as well. We can't have them looking like they did 2 months ago. Smith has not scored a double ton against a major test playing nation for years now. This is probably down to fitness. And before anybody jumps on my back, Bangladesh does not count. A cricketer's knees are not meant to carry around 110kg. AB, Gibbs and Botha are good examples of what fit cricketers should look like. Can anybody remember how fit Dave Richardson was when he retired? And he was probably close to pushing 40.

Danny9/1/2009 8:30 AM: GP PROTEAS, all the way to the semi's.

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