Share

Smith eyeing Oz challenge

London - South Africa may have gone to the top of the world Test rankings after their 2-0 series win in England but Proteas captain Graeme Smith insisted there'd be no complacency ahead of a tour of Australia.

GALLERY: Proteas are No 1!

November will see South Africa in the unusual position of travelling to Australia, for much of the time since the Proteas' re-admission to international cricket the world's leading side, as favourites to win a Test series.

However, the South Africa captain - speaking after a 51-run win at Lord's on Monday saw his side beat former England two Tests to nil with one draw as the former number one team lost a home campaign for the first time since going down to the Smith-led Proteas in 2008 - was wary of the task ahead.

"We need to have a strong base so when the wind blows we can handle ourselves," he said.

"We need to increase our bowling depth in case we get injuries and have players who can come in and perform," opening batsman Smith added.

"These guys have built a formidable unit but we have Australia next and that will be an awesome challenge for us.

"Hopefully, we can push forward and take control."

South Africa were briefly the world's top Test team in 2009 and Smith said: "Having touched it before, we are pretty humble about this.

"There won't be too many flashy things from our side going forward, our feet will be firmly on the ground."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 194 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 110 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE