Kolkata, March 16: Elated after having made it to the quarter final with a fluent win over Ireland, South African skipper Graeme Smith Tuesday said his team would look forward to continuing the winning momentum in the last league game opposite Bangladesh in Dhaka.
“It’s fantastic to have qualified really. Our group was very tense,” Smith said after a convincing 131-run win over Ireland at the Eden Gardens here.
He, however, sounded a warning to Bangladesh ahead of their Saturday clash. “We have to play well against Bangladesh. It doesn’t matter that we are in quarter finals. We have to win that game. We need to keep up the winning habit as well as the confidence.”
With the lower middle order having bailed out the team for the second time in a row in the tournament, Smith said “I see it as positive.. We got ourselves into a bit of a trouble today… some stupid run outs.. unnecessary.
“The positives were how the guys responded. They played like true professionals to keep the rates to a decent level. Jean-Paul Duminy was superb”.
Smith also praised Colin Ingram for the way he played during the 87 run sixth wicket stand with Duminy which pulled South Africa out of the rut after the team had one stage been reduced to 117/5.
Asked about pacer Dale Steyne bowling only four overs, Smith said “He felt his side a little bit. I don’t think it’s that serious.”
Quizzed on his lean patch in the tournament, Smith said: “Obviously I would have loved to have got some good runs under the belt. Hasn’t happened.”
The South African skipper said while he fell to a good ball against England, a run out ended his innings at Eden.
Smith said he was batting well at the nets and a good performance could be round the corner.
“Hopefully in Bangladesh I will come up with an important contribution.”
–IANS–