Where is the love for Paul Harris?

He has bowled South Africa into dominant positions against both Australia and England in the past 12 months, yet people continue to raise questions about Paul Harris.

Maybe it's because Geoffrey Boycott told the world that Harris is a "buffet bowler" during last year's South African tour of England. We all know that when a pundit says something then it must be true.

Or maybe it's because he is a little ungainly? It could even be just because he is a finger spinner. Nathan Hauritz also copped an awful lot of criticism before the Ashes and wasn't given too much credit after the series despite a number of brilliant matches.

Whatever the reason, there certainly is no love lost from overseas commentators and fans when it comes to Harris. There are also quite a number of South African fans who are not afraid to say they just don't rate the spinner.

To be honest, any occasional cricket follower will probably think he is nothing special, but cricket fans who have watched him for the better part of two years will know there is definitely something about him. You can see why his captain and coach rate him so highly.

He only picked up eight wickets at an average of 42 during the visit to England in 2008, but he was clearly asked to keep it tight at one end so that the speedsters could attack from the other end. He fulfilled that role brilliantly and Dale Steyn and company clearly benefitted from this.

Next up was Australia and once again before the series questions were raised about Harris. Once again he wasn't rewarded for his brilliant bowling Down Under, but things changed in the home leg and he picked up 14 wickets in the three matches, including a career-best six for 127 in the final Test that won the match for South Africa.

You would think after that display cricket lovers would change their views about Harris, but it's still the same story. Yet in the first innings of the first Test he made several people choke on their words by picking up five wickets. Graeme Swann received a lot of praise after his five-for, but most of Harris' wickets "were down to mistakes from the batsmen" we are being made to believe.

The pressure he created before getting Jonathan Trott to charge down the wicket will go unnoticed. And although Ian Bell deserved all the vitriol that came his way few noticed that the previous delivery had actually spun before Harris changed his angle and sent down a straight one to bowl the right-hander.

He has worked hard since his debut almost three years ago, and maybe in the first 12 months or so people were right to have reservations about his selection, but there's no doubt that he is much more than just someone who is tying one end down.

He may not be able to make the ball fizz past the outside edge, but he's still more than good enough at this level and it's time that people - fans and pundits alike - give him his just deserts.

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South Africa and NZ associations want IPL window

The South African and New Zealand players' associations have pushed for a separate window for the annual IPL and the Champions League, in such a way that it does not disrupt other international fixtures.

"Yes, there is a need for an IPL and Champions League window but then they must not expand outside this window," Tony Irish, CEO of South African Cricketers' Association (SACA), told PTI. "International cricket, IPL and Champions League must co-exist and not compete. Players should not be put in a position of having to choose between playing one or the other."

Two editions of the IPL have been completed, but not all international players have been able to participate, owing to their international commitments. The England players in particular have found it hard to take part because the IPL coincides with the start of their county and international home season.

Heath Mills, the CEO of the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association (NZCPA), said players in his country could be tempted into opting for cash-rich Twenty20 leagues if there is a constant clash of schedules.

"It is absolutely essential that there are windows created for the IPL and the Champions League," Mills said. "If they do not create a window for the IPL then I am certain our best players in New Zealand will not sign central contracts in the future so they can choose to play in the IPL ahead of any clash that may occur with the Blackcaps' schedule."

The ICC said in July that it wasn't considering the proposal for a permanent window for the IPL. The president David Morgan said that only players in the brink of retirement were likely to opt for such domestic leagues over their international commitments. Shane Warne, who captains the Rajasthan Royals, had earlier called on the ICC to create a window going by his rewarding experience in 2008.

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Four new faces in Proteas Test squad

South Africa have named four uncapped players in their 15-man Test squad to face England later this month.

Star all-rounder Jacques Kallis is also included in the squad despite not being fully recovered from a fractured rib.

The injury has kept Kallis out of the ongoing one-day international series with England, meaning he is likely to play as a specialist batsman if he is fit for the Centurion test on December 16th.

Opener Imraan Khan and all-rounder Albie Morkel are dropped, with captain Graeme Smith and Morne Morkel returning.

There are also places for uncapped trio Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen and Ryan McLaren, who have all impressed in the ODIs.

Little known Friedel de Wet, who is yet to appear for his country in any form, is included in the squad as well.

"We have chosen an enlarged squad to cover all our options," said selection convener Mike Procter.

"Jacques Kallis is obviously a very big number in our Test side and providing cover for him requires more than one player.

"Alviro Petersen deserves his call-up both for the impressive way he has returned to international cricket and the weight of runs he has made in domestic cricket. He is able to cover all of the top six batting positions.

"Ryan McLaren provides us with an all-rounder if we want to go down that route and we want both Wayne Parnell and Friedel de Wet to work in the national squad set-up."

Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini is braced to make his 100th Test appearance for Proteas in the Centurion match.

Only four other players, Kallis (130), Mark Boucher (125), Shaun Pollock (108) and Gary Kirsten (101), have reached the milestone.

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Botha action cleared

South Africa limited-overs vice-captain Johan Botha has been cleared of a suspect bowling action, just over a week after it was questioned in a domestic first-class game.

The Proteas bowler and his Warriors team-mate Rusty Theron had their actions reported by umpires Johanes Cloete and Marais Erasmus during a Supersport Series match against the Dolphins in Port Elizabeth.

The pair were sent for precautionary tests and were examined in Cape Town under the supervision of the national bowling coach, Vincent Barnes.

Botha has been given the go-ahead to continue playing, even though it is the third time in his career that the off-break bowler has been reported.

"We are satisfied with the preliminary results of the tests carried out on their respective bowling actions," said Gerald Majola, chief executive officer of Cricket South Africa.

"And these actions fall within the prescribed laws governing fair bowling."

During the series against Australia earlier this year, umpires Rudi Koertzen, Brian Jerlingand Asoka de Silva reported Botha, who has played 48 one-day internationals and 15 Twenty20 internationals for the Proteas, for a suspect quicker ball and doosra.

The 27-year-old was consequently barred from using the doosra following testing in Australia.

Botha's action was first challenged during his Test debut in the same country three years ago.

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Zimbabwe to tour South Africa for ODIs

South Africa will take on Zimbabwe in a two-match ODI series in early November. It will be Zimbabwe's first international visit to South Africa since 2005. The two teams last faced each other in an ODI more than two years ago, in August 2007. Zimbabwe have just concluded a 4-1 series win at home against Kenya, but were beaten 1-4 by Bangladesh before that.

South Africa have had a good year in ODIs with series wins over Australia both home and away, but had a disappointing Champions Trophy where they were knocked out in the league phase.

The two ODIs will be staged at Willowmore Park in Benoni and SuperSport Park in Centurion on November 8 and November 10 respectively.

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Procter: Proteas need specialists

The reason why South Africa crashed out from the CT is the presence of too many all-rounders, says selector Mike Procter.

"It's probably necessary that we go back to a team that almost looks like a Test team, with six specialist batsmen, four bowlers and a wicketkeeper," Procter told Afrikaans daily 'The Beeld' here.

Procter said the side lacked a specialist bowler when they were bundled out of the tournament by England on Sunday.

"Another batsman in the middle order, who could have kept us on course when a few wickets fell suddenly, would also have helped," Procter pointed out.

"Mark Boucher can get you 30's and 40's at number six in the batting order, but we needed another specialist batsman in that position," he said.

Procter felt that a big hitter such as Albie Morkel or Roelof van der Merwe should have been at number three against Sri Lanka and England but captain Graeme Smith disagreed.

"In Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers you have two world class batsmen who went in at number three and number four.

They had all the hits to take advantage of such a situation and that's why I don't think a big hitter could have done any better," Smith said.

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Smith will miss Champions League

South Africa captain Graeme Smith has pulled out of next month's Champions League Twenty20 tournament in order to ensure he is fit to face England.

Smith, who plays for the Cape Cobras, has been struggling with a leg injury, despite scoring 141 in a losing cause against England on Sunday.

The inaugural Champions League gets under way on 8 November, with the Cobras in action against Bangalore.

England's 10-week tour begins with a warm-up game on 6 November.

The tour includes two Twenty20 internationals, five one-day internationals and four Tests.

Smith is set to miss the next four to six weeks as he recovers from the injury.
"After much discussion and deliberation, the Proteas' management, together with the medical committee of Cricket South Africa, have made a decision to withdraw Graeme from the upcoming Champions League in India," said national team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee.

"This decision is based on Graeme's current upper limb dysfunction."
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Duminy predicts Australia-Pak final in ICC Champions Trophy

Joahnnesburg: His team out of the tournament after a 22-run defeat against England, South African middle order batsman JP Duminy has predicted that Pakistan would win ICC the Champions Trophy here.

"With us now on our way to our respective homes, my tournament prediction for the final is: Australia vs Pakistan. They are looking like the form team of the tournament," he said.

Duminy said he was hugely disappointed at South Africa having failed to do well in the tournament at home.

"The disappointment levels are huge, especially coming so close on the back of the ICC World Twenty20 exit. I took that defeat very personally, but this one has really hit as a team. After all the hype of coming into the ICC Champions Trophy as the No. 1 team in the world, and then to end last in our group is hugely disappointing."
"We know we have let a lot of people down. The tournament is in our backyard and we really wanted to give the people of South Africa something to celebrate," he wrote in his column for 'Independent Online'.

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"You shouldn't get a runner for cramps, full stop" - Strauss

England's ultimately comfortable passage to the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy was marred by a moment of controversy towards the end of the night at Centurion, when Andrew Strauss refused Graeme Smith a runner. Smith, who batted 216 minutes in all after having spent a session in the field, was clearly unhappy when AB de Villiers was asked to head back to the pavilion, and Mickey Arthur, the South African coach, was seen swearing in frustration. Smith was dismissed soon after for 141, and South Africa eventually fell 12 runs short of the 313 that would have given them a mathematical chance of survival in the competition.

"I was cramping quite badly and I requested a runner," said Smith later. "Andrew spoke with the umpires and turned it down. He felt that if you score a hundred, you're going to be tired. From my perspective, it felt a touch inconsistent. Guys have got runners for cramps in the past, so there needs to be a degree of consistency there. This is the frustration that we have."

Strauss's take was obviously very different. "He asked me for a runner because he was cramping," he said. "The umpires were not particularly keen to give him one. I felt that at the end of a long game, after a long innings, you're going to be tired. Cramping to a certain extent is a preparation thing. To a certain extent, it's a conditioning thing. I didn't feel that he merited having a runner at that stage."

Smith insinuated that the Strauss decision may have had something to do with the suggestions of softness that resulted in him recalling Angelo Mathews during England's victory over Sri Lanka on Friday night. "I'm not going to sit here and slag Andrew and say that he should have done this or that," he said. "The decision rests with the umpires as well. From my perspective, it's just about putting it behind me now. The thing I've learned from this game is that the world's round. It's going to come back somewhere in the game, at some period of time in his captaincy. It'll be interesting to see how he handles it again."

Strauss was of the view that the refusal of a runner had nothing at all to do with the run out-obstruction incident. "You just go with each situation as it comes," he said. "I think the umpires were very uncomfortable with it as well. My personal view is that you shouldn't get a runner for cramps, full stop."

When it was pointed out that batsmen had been allowed runners in the past while suffering from cramps, he said: "That's something for the ICC to look at. I didn't feel he was cramping that badly either. He was still able to run. That was my view."

Despite the disappointment of defeat, Smith still found time to smile when he was reminded of the fact that Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lankan captain, frequently asked for and was given runners. "I don't know if I want to be likened to Arjuna," he said. "I think I've worked quite hard in the winter [laughs]. From our perspective, it was a crucial period of the game. I was on the field for 95 overs and just felt it was inconsistent, that's all."

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England in semis, SA crash out

England charged into the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy with a clinical 22-run victory over hosts South Africa at Centurion.
The ruthlessness of England's display, which eliminated the Proteas from the tournament, was summed up when home captain Graeme Smith was denied a runner late in the game.

Set a target of 324 and needing to score at least 313 to stay in contention for qualification from Group B on net run rate, the South Africans were restricted to 301 for nine.

Earlier, England's total of 323 for eight was their sixth biggest in 50-over contests.

Led by Middlesex duo Owais Shah and Eoin Morgan, it included an England record 12 sixes as the batting travails against Australia earlier this month were consigned to history.

South Africa therefore began their pursuit knowing they would have to obliterate the highest successful chase made in internationals on this ground, the 298-run target achieved by West Indies against South Africa in 2004.

Left-hander Smith single-handedly kept his team in the hunt before skying a catch to be ninth out for 141 in the 47th over.

Fifteen minutes earlier, with 69 runs required from the final six overs, opposite number Andrew Struass displayed a far more ruthless side to his character than against Sri Lanka on Friday night when he reprieved Angelo Mathews, this time denying Smith, clearly suffering from cramp, a runner.

AB de Villiers was ready to enter the field of play but Strauss stood his ground.

To add insult to injury, the dangerous Albie Morkel was run out next ball by a direct hit from stand-in wicketkeeper Eoin Morgan, who had earlier starred with the bat for his adopted nation.

Two balls later Johan Botha skied to mid-off off Stuart Broad and the South Africans were 255 for seven.

Even though Smith kept swinging, James Anderson extended his excellent form by bowling Roelof van der Merwe.

Anderson's initial six-over burst including a Herschelle Gibbs mishit to mid-on, which provided his 150th career success.

Jacques Kallis also perished to a cross-bat shot early on but England's chance to take a third wicket inside the first two sets of powerplays was squandered when Paul Collingwood, at point, dropped a straightforward chance from an AB de Villiers' drive at Luke Wright.

That came in the 15th over with South Africa 73 for two with de Villiers on just three.

It appeared a costly miss as Smith and de Villiers shared 78 runs in 14 overs, but de Villiers holed out off Collingwood just past the halfway stage.

Smith ploughed on at a run a ball with JP Duminy in tow.

But having survived a difficult chance for a stumping on 59, when the ball ricocheted off his pads wide of the lunging Morgan, Smith was inexplicably reprieved on 82 by Shah at long-on off Collingwood.

Smith was celebrating his eighth hundred at this level four overs later, off just 104 deliveries, when he cut his 10th four.

But the South Africans could not match England's aerial assault earlier in the day.

Shah crashed 98, clearing the ropes six times, in an awesome display of power-hitting while Morgan, who kept wicket due to the absence of Matt Prior through illness, proved equally devastating with five.

Shah displayed his intent when, with just a single to his name, he hauled a delivery from outside off-stump from Morkel into the stand behind square on the leg-side.

Having registered his first half-century in 10 one-day international innings from 63 deliveries, Shah accelerated in spectacular fashion, his wristy flicks and powerful straight hitting showering the crowd with five further sixes in the final 26 deliveries of his innings.

He was eventually out when a prod forward at spinner Botha resulted in a bat-pad chance popping to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

But the tempo was maintained by left-hander Morgan, who replaced him at the crease with the score on 222 for three in the 39th over.

Morgan hit 67 of the remaining 101 runs scored, taking just 26 deliveries to reach his third half-century for England.

Despite his diminutive stature, one of Morgan's five sixes included one over the hospitality boxes at deep midwicket off Dale Steyn in the 48th over.

With the platform set by the stand of 163 for the third wicket between Shah and Collingwood - England's highest for any wicket in ODIs for two years - the batting powerplay, taken on 243 for three, reaped a bounty for a change.

Collingwood was a casualty during that period after batting with great fluency for 82, chopping onto his stumps for the second time in the tournament, off Wayne Parnell.

Collingwood's 50 came off just 56 balls and had Smith making 13 bowling changes between the 10th and 36th overs.

England's final game in Group B is against New Zealand at the Wanderers on Tuesday.

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Smith happy with Proteas` return to form

South African skipper Graeme Smith was relieved to see his charges return to form when the beat New Zealand by five wickets in their Champions Trophy clash at SuperSport Park on Thursday.

Having been on the wrong end of a hammering on Tuesday against Sri Lanka, the Proteas were in a must-win situation when they came up against the Kiwis and Smith admits he was happy to see the team perform at the expected level.

"This was more of a level that we expect of each other and that we've got use to playing at," said Smith.

"I think the bowlers had the first go at it again and they really set the example beautifully. Wayne and Dale up front bowled with the intensity we've been looking for, they hit the right areas and they created a lot of pressure. I think that's a credit to them the way they've bounce back and a credit to everybody that followed.

"It was a good clinical performance today and something that we've gotten use to at this level," he added.

While the victory was, in the end, comprehensive, the chase was not as convincing as many would have hoped, but Smith insisted he was satisfied with the manner in which the target was reached.

"I think the first prize is always to win the game," the skipper explained.

"We knew the wicket was a touch slower today, not like the other night where it was free stroke-play. You had to work a little bit harder.

I guess it was about getting yourself to a point where you could just have a good go at it - 40 overs or 41 overs it could be over. You know, we lost wickets as we started getting partnerships going to really have a good go at it, but I'm happy with the run chase."

Smith showed great faith in young faster bowler Wayne Parnell, who was kept in the attack during the crucial Powerplay overs despite having been expensive, with the 20-year-old rewarding his captain's decision with career-best figures of five for 57.

"Wayne has proved he's got the skills and it was great to see him bounce back today. He's a young guy and going to have ups and downs. As a captain it's important to show faith in him," Smith asserted.

New Zealand were left to rue their decision not to pick two spinners, preferring to go with an extra batsman after all-rounder Jacob Oram was ruled out through injury, and captain Daniel Vettori admitted that, while the decision hadn't worked out given the top order's poor form, it was the right move.

"[The top order] is an area that we haven't been performing the way we want to and with Jacob there he offers such balance, a top line batsman with a good record and a very good one-day bowler," explained Vettori.

"So when you take him out of the side you've got to make a decision and because we haven't been performing as well as we would like with the bat we decided to go with the extra batsman and unfortunately it didn't work."

The Black Caps had built a solid foundation thanks to stabilising knocks from Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott, but when Elliot fell at a crucial stage the Kiwis' hopes of a big total were scuppered.

"I think losing Grant Elliott just before we were going to take the powerplay put a real dampener on it," concluded Vettori.

"Crucial moments like that usually determine a one-day international and unfortunately it went South Africa's way. If we could have got through that and those two had taken on the Powerplay, two set batsmen then who knows what could have happened."

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SA discover winning formula

South Africa got their Champions Trophy campaign back on track with a comfortable five-wicket win over New Zealand at Supersport Park.

AB de Villiers starred with the bat and Wayne Parnell with the ball for the hosts, who were surprisingly beaten by Sri Lanka in their opening game, were determined not to repeat their performance from two days earlier.

After asking the visitors to bat first, Parnell made amends for his loose bowling by snapping up a career-best five for 57 as the Black Caps were dismissed for a mediocre 214 in 47.5 overs - Ross Taylor top-scoring with 72.

In response, De Villiers hit an unbeaten 70 and received good support from Hashim Amla (38) and Jacques Kallis (36) to guide South Africa home with more than eight overs to spare.

The day began with the New Zealanders making a cagey start and they lost Jesse Ryder (eight) after just four overs - the opener excellently snapped up by Roelof van der Merwe back-pedalling from mid-wicket off Parnell.

Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill slowly started to rebuild, putting on 46 together, before the latter pulled the same bowler straight to Amla on the square-leg boundary for 21.

Another period of consolidation ensued with a 34-run stand between Taylor and McCullum, but again the visitors were pegged back, this time when their wicketkeeper swept Johan Botha to JP Duminy at short fine leg for 44.

South African-born Grant Elliott came in and helped take his adopted New Zealand pass the 100 mark in the 27th over, followed by the 50 partnership in 75 balls with Taylor.

But after making 39, Elliott played down the wrong line to Van der Merwe and was bowled.

The Proteas all-rounder then trapped new man Neil Broom leg before wicket, but Taylor continued to fight and raised his fifty from 90 balls - the 200 coming not long afterwards, in the 45th over.

Gareth Hopkins (13) and Kyle Mills (nought) went cheaply, before Parnell ended the 106-ball knock of batting mainstay Taylor, trapping him lbw as New Zealand folded.

South Africa's innings followed a similar pattern to that of their visitors - captain Graeme Smith handing their opponents an early wicket when he played too early at Daryl Tuffey and lifted a simple chance to opposite number Daniel Vettori at mid-on.

Kallis then joined Amla and the pair began to rebuild.

They brought up a fifty stand in 57 balls, but veteran all-rounder Kallis then edged Shane Bond to McCullum for 36.

Amla (38) was next to go, trapped lbw by Vettori, and South Africa met further trouble with the score on 138 with Kyle Mills and McCullum combining to send Duminy (11) on his way.

De Villiers continued his march, reaching his half-century in 54 balls with a single off Elliott, but lost Mark Boucher (28) in the process.

Albie Morkel (19 not out) joined his domestic provincial teammate to see the Proteas over the line in the 42nd over.

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South Africa backed to win

South Africa seem to be the favoured choice to win the sixth edition of the biannual Champions Trophy.
The Proteas, who begin proceedings against Sri Lanka in Pretoria on Tuesday, have been installed as favourites to claim victory in the tournament, initially scheduled to be held in Pakistan last year.
"South Africaare favourites"
The Asian nation first saw the dates put back due to security fears, before more similar problems led to several countries threatening to withdraw.
The International Cricket Council then postponed the competition by 12 months and, after another review, decided to shift it to South Africa - the country that also stood in to host the second edition of the Indian Premier League earlier this year because of safety fears.
Now, after a long break, the tournament is back and the top eight competing countries will all be hoping to make an impression on the 50-over game, which is fast losing its appeal to its sister Twenty20 format.
The home side, who have risen to the top of the Test and one-day international rankings over the past 12 months, are the number one choice to win the title, at least according to the captains of Sri Lanka and New Zealand - Kumar Sangakkara and Daniel Vettori respectively.
"South Africa are going into this tournament as favourites," Sangakkara said. "Australia also have a good chance and have probably regained a lot of lost pride by the way they've been playing in the ODI series (against England, who they lead 6-0), after losing the Ashes.
"But I think the semi-finals might throw up some surprises."
"All the teams are equally balanced"
Vettori said: "There is no doubt that everybody will be focusing on the South Africans as they are the best side in the world. They are playing brilliantly at the moment, have no obvious weaknesses in their squad and will be familiar with the conditions.
"It will all count in their favour."
Pakistan captain Younis Khan begged to differ, saying: "All the teams are equally balanced so I don't like to make any predictions, but in such a tight competition one bad day is enough to put a team out of the tournament.
"So we will have to play out of our skins in every match."
MS Dhoni, whose India side face the Pakistanis in the pick of opening round matches, preferred to concentrate on his own side rather than reflect too much on the others.
He said: "We are in a tough group so it would be important not to allow any slip ups and perform well right from the beginning."
The other two sides in Group A are Australia and West Indies, while Group B is made up of South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand.
Each team will play the other in the group with the top two advancing to the semi-final.
"People should not write off West Indies"
There will also be plenty of spark missing from the tournament with England duo Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff along with India's Virender Sehwag all out through injury.
More notably, though, is the absence of the entire West Indian first-team, who are involved in a contractual rift with their board.
Despite the 'weakened' team, interim coach David Williams is confident they can still perform.
"I don't think that people should write us off for the Champions Trophy," he said. "We have a young team and they would be going there to make a name for themselves.
"They may even surprise some people and win some big matches."
As for the home side, they are desperate to end a 12-year wait for their last and only tournament win under the ICC banner - the 1998 Champions Trophy in Bangladesh.
Graeme Smith said: "Every time we lose an important game the word 'chokers' is thrown around.
"During the last couple of years we have been on an upward curve and the team will improve and grow stronger," added the captain, whose side have reached the semi-final on every occasion apart from 2004.


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“Something wrong with the Proteas”

The fourth episode of Cricket Up Close on STAR Cricket analyses what goes wrong with the South African team in crunch moments.
Presented by ESPN STAR Sports cricket commentator and analyst Harsha Bhogle, Cricket Up Close takes a peek into the teams participating in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Though Nikhil Chopra, Sanjay Manjrekar and Ayaz Menon agreed that the Graeme Smith led team has some great talent, it is the crucial matches that let them down.
Manjrekar, a former Indian batsman and now an ESPN STAR Sports commentator, said there is something wrong in the South African team.
"You cannot put it down to choking or bad luck," Manjrekar said.
"They lost the crunch game in the semi-final (against Pakistan) after looking unbeatable throughout the ICC World Twenty20."
Menon, Editor-at-Large, however, said that Smith has turned things around for South Africa ever since the disastrous World Cup campaign in 2003.
Catch the entire episode of Cricket Up Close on Saturday at 2:00 PM.

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SA play down Smith fitness fears

South Africa captain was ruled out of his side's two matches against the Highveld Lions later this week.

The Proteas are currently in Potchefstroom preparing for the Champions Trophy to be played in Johannesburg and Pretoria from September 22 to October 5, but will have to do without their skipper for the initial part of their training camp.

The left-handed opener went under the knife in June to repair chronic tennis elbow, which has constantly dogged him over the past 16 months.

However, he is expected to return to action against West Indies in a warm-up game at Senwes Park on September 17.

"Graeme's elbow is healing well post-surgery," team physiotherapist Brandon Jackson said. "He is in week 11 of a structured 13-week return to full activity programme.
"He is currently batting against tennis balls and against under-arm bowling with a cricket ball, together with intensive gym strengthening and boxing.

"This excludes him from matches this week. We expect him to return to full batting activity in 10 days' time."

Smith first suffered the injury during the Indian Premier League in April 2008, which then forced him to miss the last three one-day internationals during his side's tour to England in August.

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South Africa bid India farewell

South Africa warmed up for the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 by fighting back to defeat ousted champions India by 12 runs here on Tuesday.

The Proteas hit back after being restricted to 130-5 by keeping error-prone India down to 118-8 in the last Super Eights match at a Trent Bridge ground packed with some 15,000 disappointed Indian supporters.

Graeme Smith's men topped group E with three straight wins in the Super Eights and now await resurgent Pakistan in the first semi-final at the same venue on Thursday.

Sri Lanka, the group F champions, take on the West Indies in the other semi-final at the Oval in London on Friday.

"The bowlers did well but we have a few things to work on when it comes to the batting," said India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

South Africa captain Smith praised his team's ability to adapt to all surfaces and conditions.

"I think 130 on that wicket was a good total. The wicket was slow and the way we defended the total was excellent," he said.

India, who won the inaugural event in South Africa two years ago, collapsed after a bright start when openers Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma put on 48 by the sixth over.

The Indians, 55-1 at one stage, lost four top order wickets for 14 runs against a seven-man South African attack.

Dhoni highlighted his team's poor batting display by being run out off a wide ball from Morne Morkel when Yuvraj Singh refused his call for a sharp single.

Off-spinner Johan Botha removed Gambhir in his first over and Suresh Raina in his second, and also dismissed Harbhajan Singh at the end, to finish with three for 16.

A.B. de Villiers starred in the field with three catches, while fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed two wickets in one over to hasten India's end.

India's chase effectively ended when Yuvraj, who made a run-a-ball 25, was given out caught at the wicket off Steyn in the 19th over after the umpires took the help of the TV official.

The Indians won just two preliminary matches against Bangladesh and Ireland, while losing all three Super Eight games against the West Indies, England and now South Africa.

Dhoni's men, who have been on the road since February, will depart for the West Indies after the tournament to play four one-day internationals.

South Africa, who elected to bat on a slow wicket, struggled against the Indian attack to make just 130-5.

De Villiers top scored with 63 off 51 balls, but the Proteas made painful progress with no boundaries scored between the sixth and 13th overs.

Dhoni used eight bowlers to fill up the 20 overs, with five of them picking up wickets as the Proteas attempted to increase the run-rate.

Skipper Smith was the only other batsman besides de Villiers to cross 20 as South Africa managed just 32 runs in the last five overs.