South Africa captain Graeme Smith will be fit for the first Test against England at Lord’s on July 10 despite sustaining a hamstring injury last week in the IPL.

Smith had indicated that he would be “struggling for the Lord’s match but Proteas coach Mickey Arthur has confirmed key opening batsman and skipper Smith will be fine to play though he will have less warm-up practice beforehand.

“Originally, Graeme thought he would be out for about three weeks,” Arthur told news agency SAPA, after Smith sustained the injury playing for IPL winners Rajasthan Royals in the semi-final on Friday. The injury kept him out of Sunday’s final against the Chennai Super Kings.

“But we have decided to follow a more conservative route for his grade two tear and allow him a full four weeks off.

“I don’t think it would be a good idea to rush him back for the tour opener against Somerset and the second warm-up match against Middlesex looks the better option. He is in very good form at the moment and he should be able to get two knocks in the Middlesex encounter.

“We also have three full days of practice before the Lord’s Test begins, so I have every confidence that he will be fit and ready to lead the side when the serious business begins.”

England and South Africa contest a four-match Test series that also has games at Headingley, Edgbaston and The Oval.