Smith eyeing first Test

Graeme Smith faces a race to be fit for the first Test at Lord's © Getty Images

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South Africa captain Graeme Smith is aiming to play in the first npower Test with England - even if he cannot participate in any of the warm-up matches ahead of the clash at Lord’s on July 10.

Smith suffered a grade-two hamstring tear while on Indian Premier League duty last month, but believes he is ahead of schedule with his rehabilitation after arriving with the squad at Taunton to prepare for the three-day clash with Somerset.

Smith will not play in that game and is targeting the match with Middlesex at Uxbridge next weekend for his comeback if all goes to plan.

But, even if he is not ready for that fixture, he believes time spent in the nets will be enough for him to be ready to face Michael Vaughan’s side.

Smith said: “The goal is to play at Uxbridge. I think I am a lot further down the line than what I expected to be. The physio is very happy with me at the moment.

“I am working at the moment with him and am in his hands still. I would love to think I will be fit for Uxbridge and that is what I am working towards.

“I’m confident but with this injury, this is the first time I’ve had it so there is always that degree of uncertainty in your head of knowing whether you are going to be 100 per cent or not.

“At the moment I am confident how things are going but we will keep working on it step by step and see what happens.”

Smith added: “Do I have to play at Uxbridge to play in the Test? I would love to play at Uxbridge and getting time out in the middle is important.

“But if I have to put the time in the nets before the first Test, then I will do that.”

Australian Daryl Harper and New Zealand’s Billy Bowden will umpire England’s first two Tests against South Africa at Lord’s and Headingley Carnegie next month.

The pair will then make way for another Australian, Steve Davis, and Aleem Dar of Pakistan for the final two matches at Edgbaston and the Brit Oval in August.

The International Cricket Council have also appointed Simon Taufel to the five-match one-day series later this summer with his partner to be determined by the ECB at a later stage.