Graeme Smith backs Proteas to be `better prepared` for upcoming series against Oz

Johannesburg: South African Test captain Graeme Smith has said that they would not enter the upcoming series against Australia `undercooked` and will be better prepared than their last two series.

South Africa started slowly in their last two series, losing the first Test against Pakistan in the UAE and it was only a remarkable fourth-innings fightback that saved the first Test against India at the Wanderers. According to Sport24, the top Test team in the world will tackle Australia, which is fresh off a 5-0 series whitewash against England, in three Tests starting at Centurion on February 12, and Smith said that this time they would be better prepared, as a team instead of individual preparations. Smith further said that the players would get together a minimum of ten days before the tour starts, adding that the players are already playing a lot of cricket in the local Twenty20 series to get ready for the series against Australia. Smith blamed their slow starts in recent series on a lack of regular Test cricket, adding that it is always tough to get together three days before a Test and then to immediately hit the ground running. South Africa is currently the No 1-ranked team on the ICC rankings, but last beat Australia in a home Test series in the 1969/70 season, the report added.