August 29, 2008	Friday	Sha’aban 26, 1429

LONDON, Aug 28: South Africa skipper Graeme Smith has not reacted positively to news that South Africa could be asked to participate in an unscheduled triangular series involving Pakistan and India next month.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is attempting to give its players some much-needed international action following postponement of the ICC Champions Trophy.

South Africa were due to have around six weeks to recuperate from a long summer in England before hosting a Bangladesh tour in November, but have been asked to host some One-day Internationals.

But Smith is pulling for his board to withdraw from negotiations with injury problems starting to mount up amongst his squad.

He needs to rest a long-standing bout of tennis elbow, both Albie Morkel and Morne Morkel have injury niggles while Makhaya Ntini, Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis have all been playing virtually non-stop for two years.

“We haven’t had any confirmation but I don’t think it would be in the best interests of team,” he said. “If we are looking in terms of our season we need to get injuries right.

“If we did have to play that series we would have to dig into depths of South African cricket to give other guys opportunities because injuries are an issue at the moment.”—Agencies