Arthur confident Smith will be fit for Lord's

Mickey Arthur, the South Africa coach, has dismissed concerns that Graeme Smith's hamstring injury will rule him out of the first Test against England at Lord's on July 10.

Smith said yesterday that he was "at a push to make it in time for the first Test at Lord's" after injuring his hamstring in the Indian Premier League, forcing him out of yesterday's IPL final. Arthur, however, is much more confident that the South Africa captain will lead his side for the first of four Tests next month.

"It's a grade two injury, which normally means about four weeks out of action but I am confident Shane Jabaar [South Africa physiotherapist] will get him ready in time," Arthur said. "Graeme will probably miss the first warm-up match against Somerset and we will be looking at the warm-up against Middlesex, starting on July 4, as Graeme's comeback game. He is in very good form at the moment and he should be able to get two knocks in the Middlesex encounter.

"We also have three full days of practice before the Lord's Test begins, so I have every confidence that he will be fit and ready to lead the side when the serious business begins. I'm not even considering Graeme not playing at Lord's."

Smith has fond memories of playing at Lord's, scoring a match-winning 259 on his last appearance in 2003 shortly after becoming captain.

Meanwhile Arthur said he was confident that Jacques Kallis, who has also been playing in India, would be fit for the series.

"Jacques Kallis picked up a bit of a niggle towards the back end of the IPL," he said, "but he's also doing fine. I firmly believe that by the time we leave for the United Kingdom, we will have a fully fit side."

South Africa's tour includes four Tests and five one-day internationals, with their first warm-up match against Somerset on June 29.