South Africa captain Graeme Smith revealed he and coach Micky Arthur had plotted a three-year plan, the perfect execution of which led to the Proteas' first series win in Australia.
Former South African greats shied away from comparing Graeme Smith's men to the 1969-70 all-star squad but had no hesitation in acknowledging that the current side is better than the 1990s batch led by Hansie Cronje.
Warne, Watson to play on Saturday Indian Premier League Commissioner Lalit Modi rubbished reports that Rajasthan Royals' skipper Shane Warne -- along with teammates Shane Watson and Graeme Smith is quitting the tournament due to the bomb blasts in Jaipur, saying the trio are already on their way to the Pink City to play the next match there.
Warne, Watson to play on Saturday Indian Premier League Commissioner Lalit Modi rubbished reports that Rajasthan Royals' skipper Shane Warne -- along with teammates Shane Watson and Graeme Smith is quitting the tournament due to the bomb blasts in Jaipur, saying the trio are already on their way to the Pink City to play the next match there.
Going by the recent track record, Australia and South Africa have pulled out of tours in the sub-continent due to terror threats.
AB de Villiers hit an unbeaten century to guide South Africa to a successful record-breaking run chase of 414 -- the second biggest run chase in Test history against Australia at the WACA in Perth on Sunday. De Villiers was unbeaten on a cracking 106 and debutant JP Duminy was not out on 50 as South Africa produced a great batting display on the fifth and final day to win the opening Test by a comfortable six-wicket margin.
England were skittled for 180 on the stroke of tea, having no answer to the pace of Dale Steyn on the first day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa on Thursday.
Captain Shane Warne hit the fourth and fifth ball of the final over for two huge sixes to ensure Rajasthan Royals a three-wicket win over the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League match at Hyderabad on Thursday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith said his side was vastly improved since they last toured Australia and are ready to put the world's top side under pressure in their three-Test series starting next month.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn led South Africa to victory by an innings and 129 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Bloemfontein on Saturday. The visitors, following on, resumed on 67 for three and South Africa needed only 27.3 overs to bowl them out for 159.
Cricket South Africa has instructed its players to return home after the India Test series to play the semi-finals and final of the Standard Bank Pro20 tournament before competing in the IPL.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith, buoyed by his side's thumping win at Motera a few days back, is unperturbed about what the Green Park pitch hold in store for his team in the final Test against India, beginning Friday.
Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla hit unbeaten centuries as South Africa punished Bangladesh's bowling attack on the first day of the first Test in Bloemfontein on Wednesday. South Africa ended the day, cut short by nine overs by nearly an hour of rain and bad light, on 299 for one with Smith on 138 and Amla on 103.
Sachin Tendulkar held on to his second spot, while his one-day skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni occupies the 10th spot in the ICC One-Day Internationals rankings issued on Monday. The master batsman, who jumped to second spot after his scintillating performance in the tri-series in Australia last month, has 777 rating points, 15 behind South African captain Graeme Smith.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith was fined 20 per cent while his teammates were docked 10 per cent match fees after the visitors were found guilty of slow over-rate in their first Test match against India.
Hashim Amla proved his worth as a limited-overs opening batsman when his century guided South Africa to a series-clinching 128-run victory over Bangladesh on Sunday. Amla hit 140 off 135 balls -- his maiden ODI century -- to lead South Africa, who were sent in to bat, to 358 for four.
Following are the statistical highlights of day one of the first Test between India and South Africa in Chennai on Wednesday.
Ponting said that he has never been more impressed by a young cricketer than Hughes.
With the world's top one-day batsman -- Graeme Smith -- leading them, the South Africans are all set to "thump" India in the upcoming three-match Test series, declared Cricket South Africa chief Gerald Majola. Lauding the in-form Smith for guiding the team to the top of the ICC ODI rankings, Majola said the South Africans will be a tough proposition for the home side.
A prolific series in Bangladesh allowed South African captain Graeme Smith to dethrone Sachin Tendulkar from the top spot in the ICC one-day batting rankings. An aggregate of 199 runs for the left-hander not only won him the Player of the Series award but also earned him 39 ratings points which were enough for him to leapfrog Tendulkar as well as Australian skipper Ricky Ponting.
Captain Graeme Smith hit an unbeaten half century as South Africa beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in the third and final one-day international on Friday, to sweep the series 3-0.
Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, who took career-best figures of five for 33 in South Africa's innings victory over Bangladesh in the second Test, retained his place in the squad which has Ashwell Prince as Graeme Smith's deputy.
1178 - Virender Sehwag's run-aggregate in Test matches in the year 2008 @ 65.44. He is now just one short of equalling Graeme Smith's record tally in this year.
Finalising the nomination process to elect Shashank Manohar's successor as the next independent chairman of the world cricket body is the sole agenda for the ICC Board, which will meet virtually on Monday.
South Africa skipper Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie surpassed 413 to set a world record for the opening wicket partnership.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith is proud of his team's achievements this season despite being outplayed by England in the one-day series. "In terms of the team, we've realised that we've lost some key players in our one-day setup," Smith, who was forced out of the last three one-dayers through injury, told a news conference in Cape Town on Wednesday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith and coach Mickey Arthur will keep their jobs despite the disappointing show at the World Cup.
Jacques Kallis will take over from the injured Graeme Smith as South Africa captain for the third one-day international against England, coach Mickey Arthur said on Thursday. South Africa need to win Friday's match at the Oval to keep the series alive after being thrashed by 10 wickets in the second ODI at Nottingham on Tuesday but Smith will be absent due to a persistent elbow problem.
India ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni can inch closer to the top spot of ICC batting rankings if he continues his good form of the Asia Cup in the five-match series against Sri Lanka starting on Monday. Dhoni, who was on top of the batting list for a week in April 2006, is 19 points adrift of table topper South African Graeme Smith in the latest ICC ODI batting list with 773 rating points.
South Africa captain Ashwell Prince admits his inexperienced squad, start the Test series against Sri Lanka as the underdogs
Kevin Pietersen celebrated his first Test as England captain with a consolation six-wicket victory over South Africa in the fourth and final Test on Monday.
Kevin Pietersen celebrated his first innings as England captain with a century, leading the hosts to a 122-run first-innings lead over South Africa on the second day of the fourth test at The Oval on Friday. South Africa, bowled out for 194 in the first innings, were 37 for one at the close in reply to England's 316.
Graeme Smith plundered a fighting 154 not out to lead his South Africa team to a five-wicket victory over England that clinched the Test series at Edgbaston on Saturday.
The country's top 37 players will vie for the Challenger Trophy, which will also serve as a selection trial for the Rest of India team for the Irani Trophy.
Indian One-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is within touching distance of regaining the top spot in the ICC ODI Player Rankings after his consistent show with the bat in the just-concluded Asia Cup helped him jump two spots in the chart.
It is the first time that India have made a clean sweep in a Test series in the West Indies.
The former opening batsman joined as DOC in December last year following the suspension of CEO Thabang Moroe and has since signed a two-year deal with the option of extending for a third term.
"We have a lot of respect for Shaun Pollock but the team that did really well in Pakistan deserves another chance," Graeme Smith told reporters on Wednesday.
Indian women's team was also scheduled to tour England for the tri-series (also involving SA) but it had pulled out due to the health crisis in their own country.
Graeme Smith attributed Rajasthan Royals' success in the IPL to team spirit and the showing of the up-and-coming Indian youngsters in the side.
