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Chuffed Smith hails players
02/12/2007 22:08 - (SA)
Cape Town - South Africa won the third one-day international (ODI) against New Zealand at Newlands on Sunday with a five wicket victory to wrap up the series two-one to add to their comprehensive two-nil victory in the Test series.
"It's always fantastic to win a home series," said Proteas captain Graeme Smith. "Winning home series is what you are expected to do, whether you are South Africa, New Zealand, Australia or India. I'm very chuffed with the way the team played today (Sunday), and it was wonderful to win the way we did.
"I've always had a lot of respect for New Zealand in the one-day format - they're a very competitive team and it was a big pressure day today.
"We had a few tough words in the dressing-room after Port Elizabeth (where New Zealand outplayed South Africa to win the second ODI by seven wickets and level the series.)
"But everyone knows their responsibility, and it was just a matter of stepping up the work and being hungry for success.
"We bowled very well for 45 overs, although we probably didn't do as well as we should have at the death, and then Hersh's (Herschelle Gibbs) knock (of 119 off 101 balls) really took the wind out of their sails. It was a great knock, and the experience of (Jacques) Kallis and (Mark) Boucher at the end showed."
Experienced players
Smith conceded that South Africa lost their way a bit in the middle of the innings, when four wickets fell for just 18 runs, but said the value of having experienced players had been proved again.
"They don't panic, they know what to do in that situation," he said. Smith, who has been battling with a virus that has resulted in an enlarged spleen, said he was very pleased to have been able to battle his way through the series, although he had not been feeling a hundred percent.
"I don't want to complain about it, it's part of the job," he said. "But now, when you've finished the series and you've managed to guts it out a bit, it makes the win more meaningful. I think my teammates respect me for what I've been through."
His New Zealand counterpart, Daniel Vettori, was disappointed that his team had failed to secure the series win, after dominating in the first two matches, but said there were positives the Black Caps could take home with them.
"I think where we lost it was we bowled poorly at the start, and that gave Herschelle the opportunity to get away. Not taking anything away from his innings - it was one of the best I've seen - but he started off by hitting the bad balls and then he started hitting the good balls away.
There are positives
"But apart from Gibbs, no-one looked comfortable, and so once we took his wicket, we were able to start applying pressure. But Gibbs simply took the game away from us.
"But there are positives we can take away from here. It's not often we've competed over here, so to win one game, and possibly should have won the first one, possibly we can take a little momentum.
"It's the start of a long summer, and hopefully the guys who've played well, like Kyle Mills and Jamie How, can continue that form against Australia, and later on, against Sri Lanka and England."
Vettori acclaimed Gibbs as the
difference between the sides.
Gibbs scored 119 from 101 balls with 10 fours and seven
sixes.
"We were beaten by one man today, he played really well. "That's one of the best one-day innings
I've ever seen."
Gibbs mixed the orthodox with the innovative in a
breathtaking innings but said he had not been unusually
aggressive.
"I don't know if I had a go, the ball was just there to be
hit," Gibbs said.
"It's nice when it comes
off, especially in front of your home crowd.
"It's not often that you can get into the zone and play like
that. If you hit a few in the middle early doors, you just get
on that sort of a roll."
Gibbs also praised the Newlands groundstaff.
"I've got to thank the groundsman for producing one of the
better wickets we've had here for a few years," he said.
"Combine that with a really nice day and it makes for a
really good spectacle."
The Proteas will have a short break before the arrival of the West Indies. The first Test against the West Indies starts in Port Elizabeth on December 26.
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