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Our batters can cope better: Smith

South African captain wary of Indian backlash in seccond Test
Last Updated 23 December 2010, 16:45 IST
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The Proteas have lost their last two Tests here, against Australia and England, but Graeme Smith didn’t appear too fazed as he met the media two days ahead of schedule on Thursday evening.

A hard, bouncy strip with lot of pace was what greeted the South Africans at Kingsmead, and even though some of the grass was removed late in the evening, that is unlikely to affect bowler-friendly conditions adversely. “I would like to think our batters can cope with things slightly better,” Smith said when asked if the pitch was a gamble that could backfire on the hosts. “That’s the challenge. We have grown up in these conditions, we have seen the ball bounce and go around almost our whole careers. It’s something we can hopefully adapt to.  “I am a bit scared to judge the pitch three days ahead of the game. It's got a good grass covering, the most I've seen in Durban for a while. We'll see how it lives up for the next few days. Hopefully, it will have good carry and bounce.”

The left-handed opener said the Proteas were braced for an Indian fightback. “They are hugely experienced, I expect them to bounce back,” he noted. “I don’t think we can take anything for granted. After the first game, I expect them to be better from a batting perspective, maybe understand better what to expect. We’ve got to be street-smart and adapt our thinking and our skills to playing in Durban. When you are playing number one versus two, one or two run-outs, one or two catches -- those are the crucial things you have got to be on top of.”

Smith disagreed with suggestions that the festive season, with Christmas just two days away – a day before the start of the Test -- motivation could be a problem with players flying out to spend some time with their families after the first Test. “It is an important period for families,” he observed. “You want the guys to make most of the time with families. The families have come very close to the team over the last period of time. The guys know what they need to do and what comes first. We've really tried to create a professional environment where the guys know their responsibilities. The maturity of the players is always crucial but I expect them to be ready. This side is motivated to do well in the series and that's the priority at the moment.”

This will be Hashim Amla’s 50th Test, and Smith paid his number three handsome compliments. “Knowing him, he is the type of a guy who'll take things in his stride,” the captain said. “His biggest strength is that he's a composed guy. He's very disciplined, he's very calm. The form he has shown this year, obviously he will try and finish the year in a great way. He has been a solid performer for us in all formats. It’s nice to see how he has grown and he is the forefront of international cricket. He's now a better player round the world and it is good for us.”

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(Published 23 December 2010, 16:45 IST)

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