Feb. 10: Graeme Smith took over the reins of captaincy at a time when South Africa were struggling to do justice to their potential. Eight years down the line, things have not changed much.
The Proteas are still hard pressed to find that spark of genius to lift them when it matters most. The World Cup will be Smith’s last tournament as skipper of the ODI side and he is eager to make it count.
From 1992 to 2007, South Africa have remained the eternal bridesmaids. “I don’t even talk about lifting our game at the right moment. My job is to give players the confidence to express themselves well in the middle. The preparation has been good and so is the energy level,” said Smith after South Africa’s first practice session here on Thursday.
Another area of worry for South Africa has been their one dimensional attack. According to Smith, though, it is a thing of the past.