We played the big moments better: Smith
Posted on Jul 22, 2008 at 09:29
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Tags: england, south africa, test
Leeds: South Africa captain Graeme Smith said his side had "played the big moments better" after a crushing 10-wicket victory over England in the second Test at Headingley here Monday.
The Proteas' win, achieved with more than a day to spare, saw them go 1-0 up in this four-Test campaign following their two-day rearguard action to draw the series opener at Lord's.
On a good batting pitch, their bowlers dismissed England for 203 and 327.
In between, their batsmen showed a level of application lacking in their England counterparts, compiling 527 with AB de Villiers, who Smith said had played a "a real man's innings", making 174 and Ashwell Prince a Test-best 149.
"We played the big moments better, said opener Smith, in at the close as South Africa took just seven balls to score the nine runs they needed for a thumping win.
Smith added this performance was the kind he'd come to expect from a team currently second in the world Test rankings behind Australia. And he was particularly pleased by the way his attack, where veteran paceman Makhaya Ntini looked back to near his best while fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel shared 14 wickets between them, had risen to the challenge.
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