Smith and Warne told to end gutter battle
Greg Baum asks in The Age where is the management in the gutter battle between Graeme Smith and the Australians
It began in the Australian summer when Smith made it policy not to let Australia trample over his team in any forum. At one stage, Warne called Smith an unimaginative captain, and Smith retorted by calling Warne a frustrated captain. So to the gutter they went, the provocateur and the provoked, and evidently in the gutter they intend to stay.
Armed with just two days of preparation and practice, we now begin a tough block of five Tests in as many weeks against South Africa and Bangladesh, starting at the Newlands ground in Cape Town tomorrow. With no practice games beforehand and just one full training run, yesterday, to be followed by a top-up session today in which to get ready, it's not an ideal preparation.