MELBOURNE // The South Africa coach Mickey Arthur has declared Graeme Smith an all but certain starter for the third and final Test starting in Sydney next week despite his captain's lingering elbow injury.
The Proteas called in the batsman Vaughn van Jaarsveld, 23, as cover for Smith and Ashwell Prince, who is still recovering from a broken thumb he suffered in the lead-up to the Perth Test.
"I think you'll need a crane to get Graeme Smith out of the Test series," Arthur said after the second day's play at the MCG as his team struggled to 198-7 in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 394.
Van Jaarsveld was already part of South Africa's one-day touring squad but Arthur said that his early arrival in Australia would give him a chance to acclimatise to the conditions.
Smith - who hit 108 in the second-innings run chase in the win at the WACA - needed painkilling injections before the MCG Test.
The problem has hampered him since leading South Africa to their first series victory in England since 1965 in July.
Smith fell victim to the hometown hero Peter Siddle on Saturday but it was his feet, rather than his elbow, that caused his downfall.
Smith looked comfortable on his way to 62 but a lack of footwork had him play at a wide ball outside off stump that he nicked to the wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.
His opening partner Neil McKenzie's form, however, was more of a concern for the visitors on a day when Australia's bowlers ripped through the top order.
McKenzie has averaged 50.70 from 14 matches this year but has scored just 12 runs in three innings on this tour.
"He just hasn't got starts unfortunately," Arthur said. "I think once he gets a start his feet will start moving a little better.
"Opening against the new ball is a tough job and there are times when you get knocked over very, very cheaply. I'm hoping he gets a start and once he does hopefully he can get some momentum in his batting."
*PA Sport
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Racecard
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.