Smith sets out England challenge

South Africa in England 2008

The last time Graeme Smith toured England with the South African team, in 2003, he had only recently graduated from being a teenage star to the captain of the side. And despite an amazing start to the series in which he scored double centuries in the first two Tests, England still managed to fight back and secure a 2-2 series draw.
This time, Smith is a grizzled veteran of a captain, although still only 27, and is determined to play his cards right and ensure South Africa claim their first series win in England since 1965.
"I have wonderful personal memories from that tour, but the team is a lot more settled now," he said hours before leaving Johannesburg for England. "I put on a very strong outward persona, but there were a lot of nerves inside my stomach. Hopefully I'm a lot more grown up now and we can go a step further."
One potential ace up their sleeve for South Africa will be the presence of Shaun Pollock in England, who will be commentating on TV for the series, having also turned out for Durham in the Twenty20 Cup. Coach Mickey Arthur confirmed that a phone call had already been made to Smith's predecessor as captain.
"We've already chatted to Polly and he said he will be free to give us advice. We will bring him in and maybe he can help at a few net sessions," Arthur said.
Smith believes South Africa's other ace is a bowling attack that will feature last season's phenomenon, fast bowler Dale Steyn. "I think our attack as a whole has huge potential, the most variety we've had and they can adapt to any situation, but I'm not going to put too much pressure on any individuals," Smith said.

Few touring captains have made as dramatic an entry into England as Smith, who scored 277 at Edgbaston in the first Test of the 2003 series before following it with 259 at Lord's, and he is confident he will have shaken off a hamstring tear by the time this series starts at Lord's on July 10
Smith picked up the injury in the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League, playing for the eventual winners Rajasthan Royals, but he said he had already begun fitness work to ensure he is not too much of a cart-horse in England.