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Graeme Smith Responds to Critics of South Africa’s World Test Championship Final Spot
Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith has weighed in on the ongoing criticism regarding South Africa’s qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, asserting that the best way for the team to silence their critics is by winning the title.
South Africa’s path to the final was called into question, as they had not faced major teams like Australia or England during the current WTC cycle. This led to considerable backlash, particularly from former England captain Michael Vaughan, who remarked that South Africa had “beaten basically nobody” to reach the final.
Smith responded to Vaughan’s criticism with a lighthearted jab, saying, “I love Vaughny, but he’s spent too much time in Australia.” He went on to emphasize that the Proteas had handled what was in front of them, and the ultimate answer to their critics would be to beat Australia in the final and win the title. “No bigger motivation than to beat Australia in the final and hold that trophy. It’ll silence the critics once and for all,” Smith said in an interview with SportsBoom.com.
Vaughan, a longstanding proponent of reforming Test cricket, has also advocated for the introduction of a two-tier system to make the format more competitive. Following the conclusion of the India-Australia five-match Test series earlier this month, Vaughan reiterated his support for the system change, believing it would improve the quality of the game.
However, Smith was more reserved in his response to the proposed changes. “It’s difficult to comment without much detail. Will there be six or five teams in Tier 1? Looking at the future schedules, it seems decisions might already be made behind the scenes,” Smith said.
He added that while the introduction of a two-tier system could help strengthen the game, Test cricket’s future depended on having 6–8 strong teams. However, balancing that with the growth of T20 cricket, particularly in new regions like the USA and potentially the Olympics, would be a significant challenge.
With the WTC final on the horizon, Smith believes the Proteas can prove themselves by securing the coveted title and demonstrating their strength on the field.
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