Time to prove we are the best - de Villiers

AB de Villiers believes the ICC Champions Trophy presents South Africa with an "ideal opportunity" to prove they are the best in the world. South Africa are currently No.1 in the ICC ODI rankings but their record in ICC tournaments has been below expectations, having only emerged triumphant in the inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998. They've reached the semi-finals of the competition each time except in 2004, appeared three times in the final four of the World Cup, qualified for the semis of the ICC World Twenty20 this year and were knocked out in the Super Six round of the same tournament at home in 2007. But de Villiers was confident his team would go the extra mile this time around.

"We came short a few times, but there are many players in the team who are eager to improve," he told Beeld. "We believe we are the best team in the world and now is a good chance to prove that. It's the ideal opportunity."

South Africa have hosted two ICC tournaments at home and have disappointed each time, but are training rigorously for the Champions Trophy which commences on September 22. They are currently in Potchefstroom, attending a training camp, and de Villiers admitted it's the hardest they've been made to work.

"It's the hardest I have trained with this team," he said. "We run three or four times every day, attend net sessions, sweat in the gym and work on our fitness in the pool."

South Africa have played ten ODIs this year, all against Australia, winning seven and losing three. They've won both the ODI series against them, home and away, but will be playing their first ODI after a gap of more than four months. de Villiers said the intense preparation, which includes practice matches, was adequate for gearing up for the Champions Trophy. "We have not played much cricket in recent times, but have a few training games behind us," he said. "I believe we are all professional enough to gear ourselves mentally for the tournament."

One of the practice games de Villiers was referring to took place in Potchefstroom on September 3, with Johan Botha's XI beating Jacques Kallis' XI. JP Duminy was the star, making 68 in 78 balls with four boundaries. The match was a high-scoring encounter with both teams managing over 270, and coach Mickey Arthur said he was encouraged by the batting performances on a pitch that wasn't too favourable. "The pitch was very slow which did not make conditions easy for the batsmen," he said. "I was very impressed with all our senior batsmen. Duminy looked as though he had never stopped playing from last season, AB de Villiers showed excellent intensity and Boucher confirmed what an outstanding power hitter he can be."

Arthur expected the tracks for the tournament to be similar. "Generally speaking I was very happy with what we got out of this game," he said. "The fact that we played on a slow pitch is no bad thing. I expect the pitches to be on the slow side for the start of the Champions' Trophy as it is being played very early in the season and we will get more of the same for other upcoming tournaments such as next year's ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean and the 2011 World Cup in the subcontinent."