PROTEAS captain Graeme Smith believes it is only a matter of time before the South African cricket team clinches its first major piece of silverware. In a candid interview at the Shamwari Townhouse in Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, yesterday, Smith spoke about his recently launched book, A Captain‘s Diary 2007-2009, how he struggled to adapt to the pressures of being a 22-year-old captain of South Africa and the thrilling series victories over England and Australia last season.

But Smith said that for all South Africa‘s successes in a rich 18-month period, the one piece still missing from the puzzle was that elusive ICC limited overs trophy.

Despite featuring strongly in World Cups since readmission in 1991, South Africa has failed to win one of the big ones.

Smith, 28, says the team has now set its sights on winning either the Champions Trophy in South Africa from September 22 until October 5, or next year‘s Twenty20 World Cup.

“That (winning the Champions Trophy) would be nice. When we set out on this 2007, 2008 and 2009 period, we had so many firsts that lay ahead of us; a win in England; a win in Australia; we won both series in Pakistan during that period also and drew with India,” said Smith.

“In the next year, we have a Champions Trophy and a Twenty20 World Cup, so if we can get our hands on at least one of those trophies then we can hopefully get rid of the sort of tags that have built up over the last 18 years we‘ve been involved in international sport.

“We are definitely capable of it. We have the belief that we can.

“I think the squad is very confident. It‘s just hopefully getting it (all) together with a bit of luck and making it count.”

Smith‘s book chronicles the achievements of the South African cricket team as it won its away tours of Pakistan, England and Australia, and drawing in India.

It takes readers behind the scenes from the high drama on the field to the dangers of touring Pakistan.

He reveals key behind-the-scenes moments from team talks and selection to dressing-room banter and the moment when he strode to the crease with a broken hand to face a fired-up Aussie attack which was hunting blood in Sydney.

“It‘s definitely not a day-to-day diary. I sort of started during the tour of Pakistan and went on towards the end of Australia,” Smith said.

“I kept a captain‘s diary of notes of some of the stuff I had collected during the season and a batting diary with some moments and memories.

“It just felt like the right time for me to sort of share the behind-the- scenes stories of myself and what‘s changed in my life and what‘s been successful.

“And also the Proteas and what went into the successful period that we had away from the serious interviews and press conferences.”

Smith admitted he had undergone a substantial change between the first time he toured Australia and the second and most recent time.

“The first time I was quite young and you know you are always going to be tested and I think you try too hard to be a strong leader.

“You try to impose yourself too much and I think it takes a lot of getting used to the public attention and having your life scrutinised from being captain at 22 years old.

“I‘ve just been comfortable lately with being myself and that‘s the hardest thing – being comfortable enough to allow people to see just who you are.

“I really struggled with that up front for the first couple of years.”

To hear Smith‘s views on Gareth Cliff calling Port Elizabeth the “Armpit of Africa” and Test cricket versus T20 cricket, visit The Herald‘s website at www.theherald.co.za for the full interview and video.