Graeme Smith has been appointed by the ICC as an ambassador of the Championship Trophy. 

The former Proteas captain joins eight other representatives with the role of promoting the tournament which starts in June.

The role of ambassadors will be to form part of the Trophy tour, whilst UK school children will have the opportunity to meet and play with one of the eight legends at their respective coaching clinics.

In addition, the eight former cricketers will form part of the ICC editorial team who will cover match previews and match analysis through exclusive columns.

Smith will join Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, Australia’s Mike Hussey, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, New Zealand’s Shane Bond, England’s Ian Bell, India’s Harbhajan Singh and Bangladesh’s Habibul Bashar.

‘I am very pleased to be appointed as an ambassador by the ICC for this summer’s ICC Champions Trophy,’ Smith told the ICC website.

‘It’s a huge honour and brings back a lot of fond memories for me. The heat of battle at the ICC tournaments I experienced was intense but always great fun.

‘I am sure the Champions Trophy coming up this summer in the UK will be no different. Bring on the Champions Trophy!’

Smithe played 117 Tests and 197 ODIs for the Proteas, before retiring in 2014. 

The ICC Champions Trophy will run from 1-18 June with the Proteas forming part of Group B, which includes India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The Proteas’ first match will be against Sri Lanka on 3 June at the Oval.

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