Smith to undergo elbow surgery

South African captain Graeme Smith will finally undergo surgery on his injured tennis elbow, after putting it off for months owing to South Africa's busy schedule. Smith will be out of action for 10 to 12 weeks but fortunately for him, South Africa don't have any international commitments in that period.

"I have left it too long, and it is now time to have the problem solved," Smith told Cricket365 after returning home from the ICC World Twenty20. "I will be out of action for 10 to 12 weeks, and should be fit again in time for the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa in September."

Smith has had long-standing injury problems over the last 12 months. He first suffered the tennis elbow injury during the IPL in India last April and that forced him to miss the last three ODIs against England in August. He later broke his hand while facing Australia's Mitchell Johnson in the third Test in Sydney but he bravely batted in the second innings to try and save the game. He missed the subsequent ODI series and decided to delay the surgery till after the return series against Australians at home.

Smith had yet another encounter with Johnson during the Durban Test where he fractured his right hand. He missed the following Test but regained fitness for the one-dayers. South Africa's next assignment is the Champions Trophy at home.

Smith was exited about the upcoming South African Cricket Awards, for which he has been nominated for SA Cricketer of the Year, Test Player of the Year, and SA Players' Player of the Year. "Well, it feels fantastic. When I first started here, there wasn't a proper rewards system and this is a great way for us to end the season," he said. "It's great to end off our most successful season with the awards. It's been such a great year for us and I'm so privileged to lead such a talented bunch of guys and me, as captain as well as their teammate, I'm honoured to be nominated three times over."