Langeveldt
Soutie
Agreed...Craig said:People say Graeme Smith is over-rated (especially in Tests), but I disagree.
It is no secret about how strong he is through the leg side, but if bowler's bowl there, what is he supposed to do, block? It is like bowling short at Adam Gilchrist, of course he is going to hook and pull.
I have read comments by Neil and Marc in particular, how after he scored 277 and 259 v England, that when England learnt to bowl to him, he was not so great. But if it take's two Tests to work out how to a batsman, and after the amount of runs he had scored, I would be mightly concerned. In fact after he had scored 277 against you, I would have thought you would have worked where to bowl to somebody.
So it shows me the following things:
a) England's management are a bunch of amaturs (sp) and do not have computer video anaylysis technology;
b) They did work out where to bowl to him, but it in one ear and out the other in relation to England's bowlers.
And I saw on occasion when SA were in New Zealand, that he was looking at improving his major flaw.
Also I like his style of captaincy. He has shown me at this stage, if anybody is going to captain a South African side to beat Australia, he looks like the man.
For a 22-23 year old to come and pull South Africa out of the mess that was world cup 2003, and come into test cricket averaging 45 or whatever he averages.. Complete with two double hundreds against a very good England side in England... Wow he takes a lot of stick, especially for a young man... He is great for SA cricket in my opinion (although that is a fairly recent opinion i must admit)