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Smith confident of series win
10/04/2008 22:03 - (SA)
Kanpur - South Africa are ready
to hand India only their third home Test series defeat in two
decades when the third and final Test begins on Friday, captain
Graeme Smith said.
The tourists lead 1-0 after crushing India by an innings and
90 runs on a lively pitch in the second Test in Ahmedabad, a
victory that brought them close to claiming an Asian treble
after wins in Pakistan in November and Bangladesh last month.
Victory in India would be the high point of the season so
far before the tours of England and Australia later this year,
Smith told reporters.
"We've been comfortable throughout the season, whether it
has been in Pakistan, Bangladesh or here," he said. "It's just
about doing the same things we have shown the whole season.
"We are the team (close to) winning all three series in the
sub-continent in one year. It will be a fantastic achievement."
"As a team we have looked for this opportunity for the whole
season. We have got a few major tours coming up this season and
India is the first of those challenges."
Ranking boost
India have been hit by injuries before the Kanpur Test with
captain Anil Kumble doubtful while batsman Sachin Tendulkar has
already been ruled out.
The visitors are thus confident of securing a series win
that would enable them to displace India as the world's
second-ranked Test team behind Australia.
Referring to South Africa's success in India in 2000 and
Australia's triumph four years later, Smith said: "How many
teams? It's two in 20 years that have won a series in India."
"It just proves how tough it really is.
Smith said his batsmen will be key again, having repeatedly
shown their skill to play spin, while their bowlers will prove
difficult to face on a dry pitch expected to crumble easily.
Hashim Amla and opener Neil McKenzie struck centuries in the
drawn first Test while Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers, who
hit 217 not out, reached triple figures in Ahmedabad.
"We're definitely the more confident team going into this
Test match, definitely the team under less pressure," said
Smith.
"India are still the team with more question marks in terms
of selection, injuries and their being 1-0 down in the series."
South Africa may consider playing a second spinner by
picking Robin Peterson to partner fellow left-arm bowler Paul
Harris to counter the spin-friendly pitch.
"Whether we're going with an extra spinner or not, we have
the options. We've played the far more determined cricket on
this tour," added Smith. "We have shown greater intensity and
hunger to win."
Lineups:
India (from): Anil Kumble (captain), Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Shantakumaran Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Piyush Chawla and Ramesh Powar.
South Africa (from): Graeme Smith (captain), Neil McKenzie, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Jean-Paul Duminy, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson and Monde Zondeki.
Umpires: Billy Doctrove en Asad Rauf.
Start: 06:00.
TV: from 05:30 on SS2/DStv.
- Reuters
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