Would like to see Proteas winning big events: De Villiers
June 7th, 2011 - 6:45 pm ICT by IANSJohannesburg, June 7 (IANS) South Africa’s new ODI and Twenty20 captain AB de Villiers has said he would like to change the Proteas history of crumbling at big events.
De Villiers, the current ICC ODI player of the year, has succeeded Graeme Smith, who will stay on as Test skipper.
“There is a lot of responsibility on my shoulders and I am really looking forward to it,” De Villiers was quoted as saying in The Sun. “I am obviously very excited and ready to learn. I am really looking forward to this whole challenge. I have been through some ups and downs in my career and I am ready to take on anything.
“It was a helluva disappointing for us to have lost in the World Cup quarter-final. We obviously have the history of not performing well at the big events, and that is definitely something we want to change, and will work on. I don’t believe we played bad cricket, but of course we went down again when the pressure was on. But there is a fresh look in the side now which is always good.”
South Africa lost to New Zealand in the quarterfinal of World Cup.
Smith said he is comfortable with his decision to quit captaincy.
“I am very comfortable with my decision (to resign as ODI captain). Very much so. I am looking forward to establishing myself as a player in South African cricket again. I have dealt with the pressures of captaincy for eight years and am looking forward to having more freedom in the shorter formats of the game and to enjoying my cricket again,” Smith said.
“I said to AB it is very important that he establishes himself in the job and finds his way. I will always be supportive if he needs me. He will need senior players to support him and I feel I will be a good shoulder for him to lean on.”
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Tags: ab de villiers, freedom, fresh look, game, graeme smith, icc odi, job, johannesburg, new zealand, quarterfinal, shoulders, skipper, south africa, south african cricket, sun, twenty20, ups, ups and downs, world cup