MCG motivates Proteas
24 Dec 2008
Graeme Smith says his side can’t wait to play in front of a capacity crowd on the opening day of the second Test in Melbourne on Friday.
The MCG ranks alongside Lord’s and Eden Gardens as one of the dream venues to play a Test. However, the Proteas have never won a Test in Melbourne and will need to make history again if they hope to wrap up the series with a match remaining.
“We have had three of the toughest tours this year with India, England and now here,” said Smith. “We drew in India, we won in England and, if we can close off this series here in Australia, it will be an incredible performance for this team and probably the most successful season ever for South African cricket. That is what we have the chance to achieve and to beat Australia in Australia is something everybody would like to have in their career.
“As a sportsman, a Boxing Day Test is one of those great occasions. We will obviously discuss a few things and be as well prepared as we can from that side but on the day it is a motivation to perform well. There is no greater occasion to perform well.”
The South African captain said it was also a chance to reflect on his own life and career and the changes he had gone through since his last tour to Australia in 2005.
“It is nice to come back here and see how far I have progressed in my life and my career and how things have changed,” said Smith, who is playing with a chronic elbow injury.
“Mentally you look forward to coping with it as best you can. Fortunately I have been batting well through it and I have been able to adapt my game quite well. But it is something that we need to deal with in the longer run because I can’t keep treating it like this over a long period of time, so we need to plan the way forward. At the moment our focus is purely on this Test match and we don’t want anything to get in the way of that.”
Smith also commented on the pressure the Australian team has been subjected to since Perth.
“I was surprised at some of the media reports and statements after the test match. It wasn’t something I expected. Having played against Australia for some time they are always composed and well directed, so it did come as a surprise. But it does not affect our preparation or the way we think. They have picked a formidable team for this test match and they will come out to play an aggressive game and take the game to us, so we will have to be focused and ready.
“We put our peg in the ground at Perth and we have made them respect us a huge amount as we do respect them. But from a psychological aspect we know we have got a lot more petrol in our tank. It took something special to win the test match and I expect much the same again with a pretty even contest.”
– Ashwell Prince, South Africa’s other casualty with a cracked thumb, had a try out in the nets on Wednesday and a decision on his availability will be taken after Christmas Day’s practice.
PROTEAS’ TEST RECORD AT THE MCG
1993: Match drawn
Australia 342/7 dec (Mark Taylor 170, Mark Waugh 84); South Africa 258/3 (Hansie Cronje 71, Andrew Hudson 64 retired, Kepler Wessels 63*)
1997: Match drawn
Australia 309 (Ricky Ponting 105, Steve Waugh 96) and 257 (Paul Reiffel 79, Mark Taylor 59); South Africa 186 (Gary Kirsten 83) and 273/7 (Jacques Kallis 101, Hansie Cronje 70)
2001: Australia won by 9 wickets
South Africa 277 (Neil McKenzie 67) and 219 (Jacques Kallis 99); Australia 487 (Matthew Hayden 138, Steve Waugh 90, Justin Langer 85) and 10/1
2005: Australia won by 184 runs
Australia 355 (Ricky Ponting 117, Michael Hussey 122) and 321/7 dec (Matthew Hayden 137, Andrew Symonds 72) beat South Africa 311 (Herschelle Gibbs 94) and 181
293 Comments
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25 Dec 2008, 19:06 pm
#248 SodaJoe: By the time you get up it is highlights of day 2 almost
25 Dec 2008, 19:10 pm
#249 JL1: Its my little break-away haven, lots of little physical jobs, like moving fences, cleaning water reservoirs, and chill in between! Just glad the Dstv is not on that slow signal!
25 Dec 2008, 19:10 pm
#247 SodaJoe:
I have not met anyone off Keo but I had a funny incident the other night when I was watching internet live streaming sport. You can blog while watching a game and the messages come up at the side …. someone from China started going on about ‘Opium Pushing Slave Traders’ … hehe (and yes it was him)
25 Dec 2008, 19:11 pm
#251 JL1: lol
25 Dec 2008, 19:12 pm
#242 SodaJoe: #249 SodaJoe: #251 church – like chch but pronounceable: #238 wooden spoon:
Happy Christmas boys.
#231 jerimiyah:
Feb, 2nd, you and I, at UCT, come show yourself…I will be sittting at the south end near the gate.
Come meet me and we will ‘talk’.
25 Dec 2008, 19:12 pm
#253 church – like chch but pronounceable: amazing. Don’t really get it. But whatever.
25 Dec 2008, 19:13 pm
#252 AB:
I thought that I was badly off because my cable internet cut out earlier and I have had to plug in my HSDPA wireless connection
25 Dec 2008, 19:15 pm
#255 Pietman: C’mon boet. You know that you’re not going to throw punches and make yourself look like a doos.
When I get to Seoul I am going to drink till we “Gambai” no more. But I will not eat Kimchi.
25 Dec 2008, 19:15 pm
#255 Pietman:
Cheers Pietman
Don’t going doing anything silly now
25 Dec 2008, 19:15 pm
#255 Pietman: Dagse ou maat! Geseende Kersfees vir jou en Pampoentjie! Ons kan nie wag om julle erens in Februarie te sien nie!
25 Dec 2008, 19:17 pm
#253 church – like chch but pronounceable: Now that is funny
25 Dec 2008, 19:20 pm
#261 JL1:
and he called himself ShagHaiDoc
25 Dec 2008, 19:22 pm
#262 church – like chch but pronounceable: It gets better
????? 
The man seems to hate a lot of things but opium and slave trading are always in the mix
25 Dec 2008, 19:24 pm
#263 JL1: He might even say that religion is the opium of the masses.
25 Dec 2008, 19:25 pm
#264 SodaJoe: The man is on his own wavelength
25 Dec 2008, 19:27 pm
#265 JL1: Ground Control to Major Tom.
25 Dec 2008, 19:28 pm
#265 JL1: You seemed pretty strident about not going back to SA the other night. Not even for a holiday?
25 Dec 2008, 19:30 pm
#265 JL1: How can you call him a man? He is a being from Goofy planet, not to be confused with human beings!
25 Dec 2008, 19:31 pm
Tell you what I would like for Christmas – John Mitchell to coach the “not so” Golden Lions.
25 Dec 2008, 19:32 pm
#268 SodaJoe: No, I still go back for a holiday all the time, imho it is just not safe in Gauteng form me or the family
25 Dec 2008, 19:33 pm
#268 AB: C’mon AB. Let’s all stay out of the dirty water in the ditch for a while.
Where are you “farming” at the moment? I am sure others know already, just asking.
25 Dec 2008, 19:34 pm
#269 AB: True and eating deep friend cockroaches is surely not helping him at all
25 Dec 2008, 19:34 pm
#270 JL1: Oh I see. Same as many here then. Bloody far for us – about 24 hours door to door.
25 Dec 2008, 19:37 pm
#271 SodaJoe:Ok sorry for that, apologies all round! I have a game farm 20kms from Pilgrims Rest, but I reside and work in Gauteng. I have not been here for two months so its busy busy over here, but lekker!
25 Dec 2008, 19:41 pm
#274 AB: Wonderful. As a boy my family used to go to Pilgrim’s every year about September and trout fish the Blyde. God’s country boet (sorry Skops), simply gorgeous.
Terrific bud. Enjoy it.
25 Dec 2008, 19:43 pm
#275 SodaJoe: I might be the worst fisherman on God’s (sorry Skops) earth.
25 Dec 2008, 19:45 pm
#262 church – like chch but pronounceable: What’s the betting on All Blacks winning RWC 2011?
25 Dec 2008, 19:46 pm
#276 SodaJoe: “worst fisherman” same here my friend, I always say to fisherman that I prefer having my beers at home!
25 Dec 2008, 19:47 pm
#278 AB: Was in Dullstroom fishing for trout in the dams one year, guys were puling out their quota in an hour or so.
I was so desperate I got naked and stalked them.
Didn’t work.
25 Dec 2008, 19:51 pm
#279 SodaJoe:
Ok I need to do the lamb chops now, see you all around in the morning (very early) Go well and God bless!
25 Dec 2008, 19:53 pm
happy Christmas guys
25 Dec 2008, 19:54 pm
I am off for my Christmas lunch too.
25 Dec 2008, 19:56 pm
#281 CoachPete: You too my friend. Good morning. Having a good day?
Nice & white here. A bit warmer, but still cold.
See you later maybe.
25 Dec 2008, 19:56 pm
Ok yeah its very cold here blustery winter day
25 Dec 2008, 20:18 pm
92/3 – Windies the last team to beat Oz in Oz in a series.
1995 – Oz the first team to beat Windies in Windies since 1972/3 to
take over the reign as World Test Champions until,
2008/09 – ?
25 Dec 2008, 20:21 pm
Win the toss and bat bat bat! The Aussies are sick of us batting after Perth D5.
25 Dec 2008, 20:53 pm
I heard, and I do not know if it is correct, that there is a claim that the MCG will be helpful to fast bowling, In that case, winning the toss, I will sent the Aussies in to bat. They just maybe all out before lunch time. History do not teach anybody
25 Dec 2008, 21:15 pm
#287 dWeePer: If you’re serious with the “all out before lunchtime” comment we can’t really take you seriously.
25 Dec 2008, 21:40 pm
Good luck to our Proteas for the cricket tomorrow.
25 Dec 2008, 22:07 pm
This is not a great Aussie team. I have hope for SA
25 Dec 2008, 23:34 pm
#144 Pietman: Piet, I respect your decision not to blog here any longer, but by running away you are merely handing victory to Skoppie & other likeminded nondescripts.
26 Dec 2008, 04:22 am
#287 dWeePer:
Did you put any money on that?
26 Dec 2008, 12:35 pm
#292 church – like chch but pronounceable: Hey, that song by Joy Division is called transmission… there is a great version of it on youtube and also in the movie
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