Smith out of Proteas tour opener

Graeme Smith will sit out his side's 50-over match against Western Australia tomorrow

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Captain Graeme Smith is to miss South Africa’s opening tour game against Western Australia tomorrow because of his ongoing elbow injury.

Smith, who has been dogged by the problem since the tour of England earlier this year, will join Dale Steyn (hamstring) and Paul Harris (thumb) on the sidelines for tomorrow’s game at the WACA.

Coach Mickey Arthur said: “Graeme had a cortisone injection before he left South Africa as part of the ongoing treatment of his elbow injury.

“We are treating both Graeme and Dale very conservatively as they are extremely important players in our Test line-up and there is no point in taking any risks at all.

“All three of them will definitely play in the second warm-up match on Friday.”

Tomorrow’s game is a 50-over affair, but without the usual one-day fielding restrictions and power plays.

Arthur is hoping to make the game a 12-a-side encounter to allow new cap Lonwabo Tsotsobe to get a game.

“I will have to discuss that with (Western Australia coach) Tom Moody but that is the way I would like to play it.

“We will be using the game to practise our Test match disciplines both with bat and ball.

“We want all our main bowlers to get in a couple of decent spells and for our batsmen to get into the rhythm of playing Test match cricket, both in terms of shot selection and in getting used to leaving the ball as well.”

The first Test begins on December 17 in Perth.