SA's Smith frustrated by two-Test series

News

Cricket365
November 26, 2013

South Africa Test captain Graeme Smith expressed his frustration at the lack of long Test series for his side, given their number one status, and implied that constant two-match series were almost insulting.

The Proteas have only played seven Tests in 2013, and two of the three series were two-match affairs. The upcoming India series in December is also a two match encounter, and Smith feels the ICC should do more to get the side longer series.

Smith told <i>Sport 24</i>: "When it is at least a three-Test series, it has a little more definition in your own mind. Ultimately it is up to the ICC, as the main stakeholders, to lead the game forward.

"As players, we are totally reliant on them. We have no decision-making in these things and we would love to see them putting the game in good light, leading us forward into a good space.

"I can't see how, as the number one-ranked side, the world wouldn't want to see us playing as much as possible, and we want to be involved in big series.

"That's how we got to number one: beating England in England and Australia in Australia. Those are the type of series we seem to thrive on. The more of those, the better for us."

The Proteas went to the UAE in October to face Pakistan for a two-Test series, and lost the first game, which while surprising was not overly shocking, given they'd last played a Test in February.

Smith said of the big calendar gaps the Test side encountered this year: "It is certainly hugely challenging. It was one of my worries going to Abu Dhabi after some six months away (from the format).

"It's hard to recreate in such a short period of time; you could see the huge difference in us from the first Test against Pakistan to the second, performance-wise and, even slightly, in terms of attitude and commitment to our skills.

"Hopefully CSA in particular can [address the situation]. I do understand that in World Cup lead-up periods it's always tough; the World Cup will take up quite a large space in 2015.

"But CSA also has a massive asset in the Test team, and hopefully we'll be back playing more, rather than not playing (enough)."