Smith to delay surgery

Proteas skipper looking forward to home Tests

Last updated: 8th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Smith to delay surgery

Smith: Will be fit for Tests

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Graeme Smith plans to put off surgery on his damaged elbow until after the home Test series against Australia starting in February.

The South Africa captain will be sidelined for six weeks after suffering a fractured finger during the third Test against the Aussies in Sydney.

However, the left-hander plans to lead his side out in Johannesburg when the two sides resume rivalries on February 26, despite struggling with the elbow problem that he has had for almost a year.

"Australia are hurting and they are going to come back hard at us," he said. "We know that with Australia you have to earn every inch and I think they have a lot of respect for us now.

"I am really looking forward to being involved in the Test series back home."

Smith plans to see a surgeon at the weekend before deciding on the best plan of action for rehabilitation of the troublesome elbow.

"It is really a matter of resting it and then finding a window of eight to 12 weeks so that I can have surgery. In the meantime we will just be treating it and keeping it manageable," he added.

In his enforced absence, his South Africa side are set to take on the Australians in two Twenty20 Internationals and a five-match one-day series.