Latest news with #GraemeSmith
The Citizen
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Graeme Smith urges Proteas to stay calm and focused in Test final
South Africa will face Australia in the World Test Championship final starting on 11 June. The Proteas have kicked off preparations in England ahead of their World Test Championship final next week against Australia. Picture: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images Playing at an iconic venue as they take centre stage of the global Test cricket arena, former Proteas captain Graeme Smith has urged the national team to not be too taken by the momentous occasion. South Africa will face perennial rivals Australia at Lord's, in London, in the World Test Championship final starting on 11 June. Though the ICC Test Championship did not exist when Smith was playing, he collected the mace in 2013 as captain of the top-ranked Test team in the world at the end of that season. This after the Proteas beat both England and Australia in series away from home (including a victory at Lord's). And Smith offered some advice to the current squad ahead of their attempt to clinch the world title, stating the importance of shaking off the butterflies in order to focus on the task at hand. 'Lord's is one of the most incredible places to go in your career. It comes with a lot of tradition and it's one of those grounds you arrive at for training and it's got an atmosphere even without people in it,' Smith said at an SAB send-off function for the Proteas team in Johannesburg on Friday. 'Often you want to get some of those things out the way and get used to the environment, so when you get to game day it's all about playing the moments in front of you, being able to perform your skills and having that mental ability to compete as hard as you can.' Graeme Smith at the SAB send-off function for the Proteas held in Johannesburg on Friday. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images 'Make the most of the opportunity' However, though the national squad needed to concentrate on every session of what could be a gruelling match, Smith felt it was also important for the players to soak in the moment when they stepped onto the park. 'When you're playing good teams on big occasions in Test matches, it's about session after session having 11 players who are prepared to front up and give it everything they've got because Test cricket is the ultimate test of your cricketing ability,' Smith said. 'But it's also about taking the occasion. I think this team has earned the right to be there, and they must go and make the most of the opportunity.'
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Q & A: Graeme Smith on his love for Lord's, the Aussies and Proteas spearhead Kagiso Rabada
GRAEME Smith and other Proteas legends speaking at the current squad's send off ahead of the departure to the World Test Championship final at Lord's. | Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers Image: Itumeleng English/independent Newspapers Independent Media's Zaahier Adams, who will be covering the World Test Championship final between the Proteas and Australia at Lord's, sits down exclusively with former captain Graeme Smith. Smith shares his vast experience of the unique challenge of facing Australia, the charms of Lord's, and speculates about the make-up of the Proteas starting XI… ZA: Graeme, we here at the Betway SA20 office, how is the day job going these days? It's actually unbelievable the amount of people that think when our season finishes that the work comes to an end. You get asked, what are you doing now? I've got a really good team at SA20 and working hard already on hopefully improving a number of things and getting things right for Season 4. ZA: But before that gets underway, there's quite a big thing happening in South African cricket the next couple of weeks, the World Test Championship final, with the Proteas playing for the golden mace, something you know a little bit about … I've been fortunate to get my hands on the mace a few times. The thing about the mace is to get there and get your hands on it, the amount of toil and hard work that goes into achieving that No 1 status in Test cricket. Travelling the world, you've got to have a team that can handle pressure for five days, that can handle the mental state and perform the skills consistently in many different conditions. It's a reward of performance over a period of time. It's great that South Africa are back in that place with the opportunity to get their hands on it. Graeme Smith PROTEAS legend Grame Smith. | Itumeleng English/independent Newspapers Image: Itumeleng English/independent Newspapers ZA: The opposition is none other than the arch-enemy Australia. A team you enjoyed many a battle with. So, let's rewind to your debut series in 2001, you receive a verbal barrage, and you speak about it publicly afterwards… It came back to a bit of innocence as well, naivety. I think for me, playing against that great Australian team, making my debut as a youngster at 21 years old, and then performing reasonably well in a cauldron like that when it was so highly pressurised, The (Australian) attack was probably one of the better attacks I've ever played against … (Jason) Gillespie, (Brett) Lee, (Shane) Warne, (Glenn) McGrath. And of course, Steve Waugh was still there, that old school hard Australian style. I think for me, just doing an interview afterwards, I was actually speaking out of excitement. I learnt a valuable lesson because the reporter took advantage of it and it became a big thing. Independent Media's Zaahier Adams will be at Lord's covering the ICC World Test Championship final. Picture: Independent Media Image: Independent Media ZA: Four years later, you are now captain of the Proteas heading Down Under. And you take a lot of the responsibility on yourself both on and off the field. Do you feel it is key that the captain has to lead the way when facing Australia? I think as you grow, you balance things. At the time, we were a team that probably wasn't good enough to go and win in Australia. A lot of players going there for the first time. It was a valuable lesson for me, that tour. It was my first experience of touring Australia. Yes, I tried to take a few things extra on my shoulders. We fought hard in that series. I think for me, a lot of valuable lessons that I took away, that really helped frame us going back there in 08-09 and how we wanted to go about it. Building the type of team that can go there to be successful. (3:56) What are the challenges you need to overcome? (3:58) A lot of hard lessons on that first tour that were tough, (4:01) that ultimately framed the future successes. ZA: You finally climbed Everest in 2008. You beat the Aussies on their home patch. The celebrations in Melbourne were extremely special. What did that mean to you as a group to go there after all the hardship that had gone before? Winning at probably one of their most iconic stadiums, winning the series at the MCG. When you start on Boxing Day, you walk out there, you're like, wow, this is just an incredible coliseum to perform in. Then winning for the first time in Australia was just an amazing moment. I had watched teams and been a part of a team that had gone there and suffered at the hands heavily. It's a hard tour. The media is tough. The crowds are tough. They're an incredible cricket nation, a lot of outstanding players. It's a huge hurdle to overcome. I think it was so important that South African Cricket broke that barrier down in 08-09. There's an image that I'll never forget of getting onto the team bus and Jacques Kallis is all emotional and in tears. For him, it had been such a tough run and now he'd overcome it. There was JP Duminy bouncing on him on his first ever tour. He was like, what's all this fuss about? The Proteas claimed the ICC Test mace at Lord's under Smith's leadership in 2012. Picture: AFP Image: AFP ZA: And then you head back in 2012, and do it all over again! By then we were a team that had come together. We had some incredible bowlers. A great attack. We had depth with Kallis as an all-rounder and De Villiers performing and another all-rounder in JP. We also had a batting unit where the majority of the guys averaged close to 50 or over 50. We built a culture, we built a value system. We knew what we stood for and the performances just followed. ZA: It all basically reached a crescendo at Lords in 2012, and you lift the mace. The Proteas are the best team in the world. Just that experience, the Lords' experience. How does this young Proteas side going there now, how do they cope with the enormity of the situation? There's a lot of experience around South African cricket now. Maybe that's something we can get better at is the sharing of knowledge and experience of what was important for us. For example, arriving at Lords, there can be a lot of fanfare because it's people's first experience of the museum, the ground, the traditions that come with it, the Members Stand. Often, it's about getting those little things out of the way and dealing with it pre-game. It is just an amazing place to go and play cricket and to have a final, a World Championship final there, adds to the occasion. Hopefully the South African team really just recognises the opportunity and is determined to go and do well. ZA: What are the biggest challenges facing the Proteas? We know that they've got certain challenges they're going to need to overcome against a very successful Australian team. They're the underdogs. But what an opportunity. It would be fantastic to see, in a one-off Test match, they give it everything and perform their skills. ZA: How do you approach a once-off Test match? Obviously, preparation is key. I think for the underdog team it's a benefit. If you can get your stuff together and a couple of players or you get a batting unit that suddenly posts a total or your bowlers get you into the game, it really is. Over a three to five test match series, you expect the better teams to get better and better. The pressure over a lengthy period of time will take its toll on a team that's maybe got a few gaps. But in a once-off, you've got six days to really get it together and perform your skills. Graeme Smith has the highest score by an overseas batter at Lord's. Picture: AFP Image: AFP ZA: How do you think Temba Bavuma, as captain of the Proteas, needs to front up to the Aussies? I think Temba will go about it his own way. He's not a guy that shouts from the rooftops. He's calm, assured. The most important thing for Temba is his performance with the bat. There's a lot of players in that line-up that can bat around a Temba, and with his consistent performance of late, if he can take that into the game, it really does calm things down and settle things down for the rest of the unit. Then tactically, I think it's going to be important to see how they go about it, him and Shuks, in terms of selection. What's the type of bowling line-up they're going to put together? What's the weather? What's the pitch look like? Try and put combinations together that can really hurt Australia. ZA: In 2012, we saw the importance of JP Duminy and Vernon Philander scoring valuable runs at Nos 7 and 8. Do the Proteas stack their side again with the all-rounders? Just watching Shuks, he is a little bit unpredictable in terms of his selections, but I do think that he likes those options in terms of having a few more options with the ball and batting a little bit deeper. Depending on the weather, I would always be very nervous at Lord's to go without a spin option. Kesh (Maharaj) has been an outstanding option for Temba. If the sun does come out, sometimes that pitch can get good and you'll need someone to control the game as well. That's often the nuance as a captain and a coach is trying to find that balance in your XI. ZA: If you had a message to this young Proteas side before easily the biggest game of their lives, what would that message be to that group of players? Well, motivation shouldn't be an issue for the guys getting there. If you're not motivated, then there's something wrong. A lot of work probably needs to go into handling of situations, how they're going to handle the media, what's going to be their messages. Getting used to the Duke ball what are the key factors that they want to get right in the Test Match from a strategy perspective. Focusing on that and then putting all things on the table. I think one of the great things about the team that we built when travelling to Australia, we actually built in things to deal with. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen will be influential for the Proteas at Lord's. Picture: AFP Image: AFP
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Record-breaking Season 3 marks continued growth for SA20
Johannesburg [South Africa], May 29 (ANI): SA20 has cemented its position as one of the best-supported live sport events in South Africa, with Season 3 data across broadcast, attendance and digital showcasing record-breaking performances and continued growth. Capacity crowds again marked the season, with the League witnessing a remarkable 70 per cent increase in sold-out matches and a sold-out Final for the third consecutive year, making this the best-attended SA20 season to date. Over four-hundred thousand fans streamed through the turnstiles at the six venues around the country. Newlands, the home of Season 3 champions MI Cape Town, made history by becoming the first venue to sell out all five home matches, as per a press release from SA20. The League also achieved a significant milestone by selling its 1 millionth ticket to a lucky recipient during the match between Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Wanderers. In the annual survey, fans confirmed that the stadium was the place to be, with 93 per cent describing their experience as 'excellent' and 90 per cent indicating they were likely to attend Season 4. Nielsen Sports SA data reveals that viewership continues to increase, with the overall audience reach on SuperSport up by a significant 47 per cent, a testimony to the collaboration of the League and SuperSport to grow new audiences. The opening match of the season between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and MI Cape Town was the most viewed opening match to date. South Africans were also glued to the Final with a 72 per cent uplift in viewership from Season 2 as viewers watched new champions, MI Cape Town, win the title. Nielsen Sport SA further reported that global television viewership across broadcasters including India, the UK, the US and Pan African markets increased by 37 per cent, revealing the growing appeal of South Africa's premier T20 competition as one of the top T20 franchise leagues around the world. In a fast-moving digital landscape, SA20 continues to show incredible growth with a 62 per cent increase in followers across all social media platforms, an 87 per cent increase in the following for Franchise teams, a 93 per cent increase in video views and a 233% rise in website traffic users from Season 2. As the awareness of the competition grows, this interest is reflected in exponential growth in the PR and media sectors in both South Africa and India. The League achieved a 30 per cent growth in media value in SA, while there were excellent results in India driving a 96 per cent increase in media value and a 231 per cent surge in print stories. League Commissioner, Graeme Smith, said: 'Season three of the SA20 has been an absolute game-changer. This is the third year running that we have seen unprecedented growth across broadcast, attendance and digital platforms; we have really made a mark as one of the leading sports and entertainment brands in the country. Globally, our numbers continue to increase and support our vision of being the biggest T20 cricket league outside of India. We could not have achieved this success without the fans, partners, world-class players, broadcasters, franchises and stakeholders, it is been incredible to see the passion and commitment towards the League.' SA20's commitment to youth and talent development both on and off the field was showcased via various initiatives in Season 3. Through its leadership programme, the League provided 26 young industry talent--including 4 Laureus YES (Youth Employment in Sport) programme recipients and 6 photography students--with the opportunity to work and gain experience as part of the competition's delivery team on the ground. The League also raised R630,000 for its social impact partner, the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation. Using sport including cricket programmes, the Foundation helps young people overcome limitations imposed by challenging social issues including poverty, homelessness, violence drug abuse and AIDS. Another highlight of the season was the opportunity to positively impact South African cricket's eco-system with the launch of the inaugural Schools SA20. Over 600 schools competed with a first-ever national girls' competition being incorporated. The competition reached a thrilling finish with the Schools SA20 Final Showdown at the Cricket SA High Performance Centre in Pretoria, where Steyn City School from Johannesburg and Bishops Diocesan College from Cape Town were crowned the inaugural girls' and boys' champions respectively. As part of the prize, the League and SACA also provided a full scholarship to two promising Grade 7 cricketers (one boy and one girl learner) to attend the winning schools, covering annual school fees, hostel fees (if applicable) and additional costs. 'The positive impact off the field is equally important and rewarding for us as the League,' Smith explained. 'The Schools SA20 was an excellent platform for the next generation in its debut season and will no doubt continue to give hundreds of young cricketers around the country opportunities. Planning is progressing well for Season 4 in the new holiday window, and we look forward to celebrating the festive season with all our fans.' The fourth season of the competition will get under on December 26, 2025, with major announcements around fixtures, player signings, and the auction to be communicated soon. (ANI)
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
SA20 Season 3 sets record growth in stadium attendance, global broadcast
The third edition of the SA20 has delivered its most successful season yet, breaking multiple records across live attendance, television viewership, and digital reach. With more than 400,000 fans attending matches across six venues, Season 3 was officially the best-attended in the league's history. A 70 per cent rise in sold-out fixtures, including a packed house for the Final for a third consecutive year, highlighted the competition's growing popularity. MI Cape Town, crowned champions this season, added to the historic tone by selling out all five home games at Newlands — a league first. The SA20 also hit a major milestone, selling its one-millionth ticket during a clash between Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Wanderers. Television and digital reach break new ground The league's broadcast success was equally staggering. According to Nielsen Sports SA, SuperSport's viewership figures soared by 47 per cent, reflecting the collaboration between the broadcaster and the league to attract new fans. The opening game of the season — MI Cape Town vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape — was the most-watched opener ever. Viewership of the Final jumped by 72 per cent from Season 2, as fans tuned in to see MI Cape Town lift the trophy. International audiences across India, the UK, the US, and Africa grew by 37 per cent, solidifying SA20's stature as a top-tier global T20 league. Digital, media and fan engagement soar Digital engagement also witnessed a boom. The league reported a 62 per cent rise in total social media followers, while video views grew by 93 per cent. Franchise pages gained 87 per cent more followers, and web traffic spiked by 233 per cent from last year. Media presence expanded as well, with media value increasing 30 per cent in South Africa and a massive 96 per cent in India. Commissioner Graeme Smith called the growth 'game-changing' and credited the fans, franchises, and partners for their shared passion. Strong social impact and youth focus Season 3 also highlighted SA20's commitment to social upliftment. Through its learnership programme, 26 young professionals gained hands-on experience, while a total of R630,000 was raised for the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation. The inaugural Schools SA20, featuring over 600 schools, concluded with Steyn City and Bishops Diocesan College winning the girls' and boys' finals. The league also awarded full scholarships to two standout Grade 7 cricketers. Looking ahead to Season 4 Planning is already under way for Season 4, which begins on December 26, 2025. Smith said fans can expect fresh announcements on player auctions and fixtures soon, promising another memorable season for one of the world's fastest-growing T20 leagues.
News18
6 days ago
- Business
- News18
Betway SA20 Season 3 Betway SA20 Season 3 Witnesses Record Growth and Attendance
Betway SA20 Season 3 saw record-breaking performances, 70% more sold-out matches, 400,000+ fans, and a 233% surge in website traffic. Betway SA20 has firmly established itself as one of South Africa's best-supported live sports events, with Season 3 showcasing record-breaking performances and continued growth across broadcast, attendance, and digital platforms. News18 The season was marked by capacity crowds, with a remarkable 70% increase in sold-out matches and a sold-out final for the third consecutive year, making it the most attended Betway SA20 season to date. Over 400,000 fans attended the six venues around the country. Newlands, home of the Season 3 champions MI Cape Town, made history by selling out all five home matches. The League achieved a significant milestone by selling its 1 millionth ticket during the match between Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Wanderers. According to an annual survey, 93% of fans described their stadium experience as 'excellent,' and 90% indicated they were likely to attend Season 4. Betway SA20 continues to show impressive growth in the digital landscape, with a 62% increase in followers across all social media platforms, an 87% increase in following for Franchise teams, a 93% increase in video views, and a 233% rise in website traffic users from Season 2. advetisement The League also achieved a 30% growth in media value in South Africa and saw excellent results in India, with a 96% increase in media value and a 231% surge in print stories. League Commissioner Graeme Smith stated: 'Season three of the Betway SA20 has been a game-changer. For the third year in a row, we've seen unprecedented growth across broadcast, attendance, and digital platforms. We've firmly established ourselves as one of the leading sports and entertainment brands in the country." 'Globally, our numbers continue to increase, supporting our vision of being the biggest T20 cricket league outside of India. This success wouldn't be possible without the fans, partners, world-class players, broadcasters, franchises, and stakeholders. The passion and commitment towards the League have been incredible." Betway SA20's commitment to youth and talent development was highlighted through various initiatives in Season 3. Through its learnership program, the League provided 26 young industry talents, including 4 Laureus YES (Youth Employment in Sport) program recipients and 6 photography students, with the opportunity to gain experience as part of the competition's delivery team. The League also raised R630,000 for its social impact partner, the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation, which uses sport, including cricket programs, to help young people overcome challenges such as poverty, homelessness, violence, drug abuse, and AIDS. A highlight of the season was the launch of the inaugural Schools SA20, with over 600 schools competing and the first-ever national girls' competition being incorporated. The fourth season of the competition will commence on 26 December 2025, with major announcements about fixtures, player signings, and the auction to be communicated soon. Watch CNN-News18 here. Stay updated with all the latest news on IPL 2025, including the schedule, Points Table, IPL Orange Cap, and IPL Purple Cap. Get latest Cricket news, live score and match results on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : SA20 First Published: May 28, 2025, 18:17 IST Latest News 'Said It Out Of Love': Kamal Haasan Reacts To His 'Tamil-Kannada' Remark, Says Won't Apologise Politics Bollywood Tamannaah Blames Instagram For 'Liking' Deepika Padukone Clip, Fans Recall Virat Kohli-Avneet Kaur Row Bollywood Mohit Suri Recalls How A 10-Year-Old Alia Bhatt Backed His Remix Vision India Series Of Earthquakes Hit Manipur, Strongest One Being 5.2 Magnitude Viral 'Is There Anything He Can't Do?' Fans On Video Of Tom Cruise Conducting Orchestra latest news
