We can be heroes, says Smith

Graeme Smith, one of the youngest captains in world cricket at 23, insisted that far from being downcast S Africa would use the Lankan series to inspire them to greater efforts in England.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said his side had the opportunity to become heroes during the Champions Trophy one-day tournaments which starts in England later this week.

HT Image

The Proteas come into the 'mini World Cup' on the back of a 5-0 one-day whitewashing in Sri Lanka.

But Smith, still one of the youngest captains in world cricket at the age of 23, insisted that far from being downcast South Africa would use the Sri Lankan series to inspire them to greater efforts in England.

"We had a really rusty tour in Sri Lanka," Smith told AFP at the squad's hotel here on Monday ahead of their opening Champions match on Sunday against minnows Bangladesh at Edgbaston.

"We didn't perform to the standards we would have liked. We come here a team with a lot of pride hurt.

"The team is obviously highly motivated because of the way we performed and we come here being big underdogs," added Smith whose side face West Indies in the second match of the tournament at The Oval on September 18.

"Hopefully that can play into our hands and hopefully we can get a really dominant performance in up front against Bangladesh and move on to The Oval against West Indies and do well.

"It's a tournament where if you won four games you are heroes again," left-handed Western Province batsman Smith added.