Graeme Smith speaks out about SA's final ICC Match
It’s not pleasant having to explain and deal with another early exit from an ICC event just three months after the T20 disappointment in England but we have to deal with whatever life throws at us and move forward in a positive frame of mind.
There are reasons for our failure to reach the semi finals of the Champions Trophy but there are no excuses. We weren’t good enough over three games and we accept that. It hurts – it hurts a lot – but it’s happened and we have to do everything in our power to improve and make sure we are contenders in the next T20 World Championship in the West Indies next year and also at the 2011 World Cup on the subcontinent.
We always knew that our schedule might be a problem coming into this tournament because we had not played any hard, international cricket for over two months but we did everything we could to prepare and overcome that. We had two hard training camps and played warm-up matches but there simply is no substitute for the real thing.
Bowlers take longer than batsmen to shake off the rust and get back into the rhythm and we conceded over 300 in two of the games as a result. I’m proud of the way we chased a huge score against England but would have been a lot prouder if we had managed to get over the line.
I was a bit surprised and disappointed that Andrew Strauss refused to let me have a runner for the final five overs when I was suffering from cramp but that is something he will live with. The world is round which means things come back to you.
The inconsistency of the runner situation is a problem. Sometimes the runner is allowed and sometimes not. Most captains agree to a runner in that situation but Andrew decided to stick to the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. Once again, it is not an excuse and I am not saying it would have made the difference.
As much as we have ourselves to blame and can look at the things we did wrong, or poorly, we have to pay due credit to Owais Shah and Paul Collingwood for the way they laid the platform for Eion Morgan who played some audacious shots which probably took the game away from us. England played superbly and deserve credit far more than we deserve criticism.
Sri Lanka are also one of the best one-day sides in the world and they, too, have been eliminated before the semi finals. Anything can happen in a sprint format like this involving the best teams in the world. India are also under pressure to qualify which means that the three ‘favourite’ teams could all miss the semis.
We have a lot of domestic cricket to play before England come back in November and I expect us all to be battle-hardened and ready to do justice to our status in both forms of the game. We had high expectations for the Champions Trophy but we have not lived up to them. The challenge now is to use the pain of defeat and disappointment as a tool to inspire an even more determined drive to win and consolidate our position at the top of world cricket.
I am deeply sorry for all those supporters who hoped and believed we would do it this time, but please don’t think for a moment that we won’t get the job done. We still strongly believe in our ability as individuals and our ability to win as a team. We will get the job done.
G Smith
Great knock yesterday. Remember there will be another time.
Hard luck
I will always be there for you guys - through thick and thin.
Graeme you played excellently and so nearly carried the team the whole way through. I was a bit worried that we wouldn't have enough match practice before the Champions Trophy.
When it eventually happens it will be so much sweeter.
I thought it was bad
I thought it was bad sportmanship form Strauss' side, I also feel that Graeme not being allowed to have a runner indirectly led to Albie's runout.
Furthermore England's 12th man was fielding most of the time because Shah can't catch, not very sporting.
Well played
I think Graeme played an outstanding innings yesterday and deserves to be acknowledged for that. Overall, the team is an excellent one, they were just outplayed yesterday.
We stand behind the Proteas, and know that one day, they will do us all proud and keep the critics quiet for good.
FOREVER PROTEAS
Words of inspiration from Barack Obama's speech
Barack Obama had some insightful words, which can be applied to our cricket team:
"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. it's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere."
BARACK OBAMA
England sportsmanship
England should not forget for one moment that they will be touring SA shortly. They are going to get a heck of a lot of flack from the SA supporters for their ungentlemanly manner of denying Smith a runner.
I also felt that the team would be under-prepared. Pity we could not have played before the tournament.
Still 100% SA supporter.
Its tough, but that's the way it is
Greame, its tough but you people have to realise that its not always aggression that wins matches. One must enter the ground with plans and some thought.
Also your batsmen lack application and your bowlers lack consistancy.
I must say that although you played well there was no use of wrist in your shots. This made you put in so much effort which made you tired. I hope you will take my words in good spirit.
A fan of the SA team
Great leadership
I do not know if you (Graeme Smith) will read this but I would just like to let you know, you're one of the greatest captains of all times. This hardship only builds you as a player and an individual, it is how you come out of it that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary (I believe that you, Graeme, are extraordinary).
Yes, South Africa is a bit upset but what will they remember? The way you came back two years later and won the World Cup and gave the poor class English side a taste of what we made of this tournament.
I believe in you and the rest of the team. Make us proud.
Smith, my hero!
I just want to congratulate Graeme on an amazing innings and even though we didn't win you gave us something to cheer about. You are my hero and every time you lead us out I feel so much pride not only when we win but even when we lose because no matter what, you guys always give your best.
Andrew Strauss could learn a thing or two from you, Biff. I've supported you since before you became captain and that will never change. Thank you and the team for everything and my support is truly unconditional.
SA one day team
Graeme Smith is not a one day captain. His time is over he needs to give over the reigns to Johan Botha
Post new comment