Smith not worried about pitch |
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Friday April 11, 01:07 AM
Kanpur, April 10: One just needs to flip the pages of cricket history to relive how a slow and low pitch has spelt doomsday for many a side in the past. The Green Park Stadium’s playing surface, dry as bone, looms large over the South Africans, but skipper Graeme Smith is not perturbed.
"We are not worried about the pitch. We have to maintain our focus. For us, it’s about executing our game plan well. I believe things have worked for us so far and it will work again," Smith said on the eve of the third Test at Kanpur.
Smith said his batsmen could tackle spin and the fast bowlers use the uneven bounce of the pitch to their advantage.
"We have beaten Pakistan in Pakistan exploiting similar conditions. We have won against Bangladesh on tracks slower than these. With the pitch looking as it does, it has certainly opened up a lot of possibilities. We have got a lot of variety in our bowling. We also have spinners who can exploit the conditions."
Smith was quick to drive home the point that his side had been strategically superior to India over the last two Tests and that the onus was on the latter to draw level in the series. "Our performance shows that we executed our strategies much better that India did. There are issues that India have to deal first — like their composition and fitness.
"Definitely, we are a more confident team now after winning in Ahmedabad. There will be less pressure on us."
The Proteas’ skipper also didn’t miss a chance to take a jibe at the Indians. Asked whether he expected the track to crack from the third day onwards, Smith said: "The pitch has already cracked."
On whether the presence of a half-fit Anil Kumble would give an advantage to South Africa, he said it would be a tough call for the India captain.
"It’s a difficult one for Kumble. Obviously, he wants to lead the team but he has to take several factors into account. If he is not fit, a new captain has to take over for the important game. So its tough whether to take that risk or not," he said. "He (Kumble) certainly could not bowl the spells (he is capable of) in the last game. So he has a difficult decision to make," he added.
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