NEW Surrey captain Graeme Smith wants to help create something the county can be proud of as he embarks on his first season with the club.
The South Africa skipper signed a three-year deal with the Kia Oval outfit over the winter and joined up with his new team-mates recently, ahead of the start of the 2013 season.
And speaking today (Friday) ahead of his side's first LV= County Championship Division One fixture against Somerset next week, the 32-year-old said he was proud to be the county's new skipper, adding that he hoped to achieve something special during his time with the club.
He said: "It is a proud day for me to represent such an important club, a club of such stature.
"We have a hugely talented bunch of cricketers and I am very excited and looking forward to the season.
"The three year deal shows how important this is to me and how much I want to make a success of it.
"I am looking forward to the challenge and we want to create something we can all be proud of."
Meanwhile, Surrey's team director Chris Adams said it was great for the county to welcome Smith, a man who has captained his country since 2003, becoming South Africa's youngest ever skipper at the time of his appointment at the age of 22.
He said: "I think it is fair to say that he is the leading captain of his generation and arguably one of the greatest captains the game has ever seen.
"We are very much looking forward to seeing him out there next week, scoring runs and leading this fantastic array of players to what we hope will be much success this season and beyond."
Adams added that the signing of former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who will join Surrey on a two-month deal in June, was also a great coup for the club, while he said that new arrivals Vikram Solanki and Gary Keedy would also bring a wealth of experience to the side.
And he said the club was hoping to move forward after what he described as a "tragic year" in 2012 with the death of Surrey cricketer Tom Maynard.
He said: "It is important as a club and as a county that we move forward and concentrate on what we are hoping to do this season.
"We will never forget Tom Maynard but it is now time that we put our attention and focus into cricket. That is what this very historic and proud club is all about."
The South Africa skipper signed a three-year deal with the Kia Oval outfit over the winter and joined up with his new team-mates recently, ahead of the start of the 2013 season.
And speaking today (Friday) ahead of his side's first LV= County Championship Division One fixture against Somerset next week, the 32-year-old said he was proud to be the county's new skipper, adding that he hoped to achieve something special during his time with the club.
He said: "It is a proud day for me to represent such an important club, a club of such stature.
"We have a hugely talented bunch of cricketers and I am very excited and looking forward to the season.
"The three year deal shows how important this is to me and how much I want to make a success of it.
"I am looking forward to the challenge and we want to create something we can all be proud of."
Meanwhile, Surrey's team director Chris Adams said it was great for the county to welcome Smith, a man who has captained his country since 2003, becoming South Africa's youngest ever skipper at the time of his appointment at the age of 22.
He said: "I think it is fair to say that he is the leading captain of his generation and arguably one of the greatest captains the game has ever seen.
"We are very much looking forward to seeing him out there next week, scoring runs and leading this fantastic array of players to what we hope will be much success this season and beyond."
Adams added that the signing of former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who will join Surrey on a two-month deal in June, was also a great coup for the club, while he said that new arrivals Vikram Solanki and Gary Keedy would also bring a wealth of experience to the side.
And he said the club was hoping to move forward after what he described as a "tragic year" in 2012 with the death of Surrey cricketer Tom Maynard.
He said: "It is important as a club and as a county that we move forward and concentrate on what we are hoping to do this season.
"We will never forget Tom Maynard but it is now time that we put our attention and focus into cricket. That is what this very historic and proud club is all about."
