1.
CU MIKE SMITH INTERVIEW
0.59


SMITH: "YES, I WOULDN'T ACCEPT THAT. FOR INSTANCE, WE BOWLED THEM OUT TWICE. AND THAT'S A PRETTY UNHELPFUL WICKET AND NOT A GREAT DEAL OF HOE FOR THE BOWLERS. I THOUGHT OUR BOWLERS DID EXTREMELY WELL, AND YOU CAN HARDLY CALL THAT DEFENSIVE."



INT: "THEY BOWLED US OUT".



SMITH: "WELL DONE THEM...."



INT: "NOW, YOUR OWN FORM THIS SEASON HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING."



SMITH: "I WOULD PUT IT A LITTLE STRONGER THAN THAT. I WOULD SAY VERY DISAPPOINTING, I'M AFRAID."



INT: "THIS IS DUE TO THE CARES OF CAPTAINCY?"



SMITH: "I DON'T THINK SO. NO. EVERYONE GETS INTO BAD PATCHES. I'VE NEVER BEEN IN ONE OF SUCH LENGTH LIKE THIS BEFORE. AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY SITS ABOUT, JUST PLAYING OUT OF IT."



INT: "WHAT ABOUT AUSTRALIA. YOU'VE NOT BEEN THERE BEFORE?"



SMITH: "NO, I HAVEN'T. IT'S THE ONLY MAJOR TOUR THAT I'VE NOT DONE AND I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I DON'T THINK IT IS A DISADVANTAGE NOT HAVING BEEN THERE BECAUSE YOU MUST MEET YOUR OBSTACLES WHEN THEY ARISE, NOT GO THERE WITH TOO MANY PRE-CONCEIVED IDEAS."




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: M.J.K. SMITH WILL CAPTAIN THE M.C.C. TOURING PARTY IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND THIS COMING WINTER, IT WAS ANNOUNCED AT LORDS YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY). ON SEVERAL TOURS ABROAD, SMITH HAS SHOWN HIS SKILL AT KEEPING HIS PLAYERS CONTENTED, AND HIS SELECTION WAS WIDELY EXPECTED.

CRICKET COMMENTATORS SEE SMITH'S APPOINTMENT AS CAPTAIN MAINLY DUE TO THIS GIFT OF LEADERSHIP OFF THE FIELD. AS A TACTICIAN, HE IS ULTRA-MODERN, WITH AN ENTHUSIASM FOR FAST BOWLING. AS A BATSMAN HIS CURRENT FORM IS UNIMPRESSIVE. BUT ON OTHER TOURS HE HAS MADE SMITH HAS NEVER FAILED, ON MERIT, TO GET A PLACE IN THE ENGLAND TEAM.

SMITH SPOKE TO THE PRESS SOON AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS TOUR CAPTAINCY WAS MADE ABOUT CRITICISM OF HIS HANDLING OF THE SECOND TEST.