LONDON:
South Africa achieved one of the most comprehensive wins in Test history when they beat England by an innings and 12 runs on Monday but captain Graeme Smith and coach Gary Kirsten pledged they would not take the opponents lightly in the remaining two matches.
Dale Steyn was South Africa’s hero on Monday, taking three wickets in 16 deliveries with the second new ball as England were bowled out for 240 on the final day. The fast-bowler finished with five for 56 to justify his ranking as the world’s leading Test bowler.
“It’s an extremely proud moment for all of us in our team,” said Smith. “We are going to Headingley and the conditions will be very different and we understand it will be a very different Test match.”
Meanwhile, Kirsten hailed a ‘great performance’ by his team.
“We think that we can go out and play cricket like that on a regular basis, rather than that being a one-off Test match,” said Kirsten. “I’m not saying we’ll be 650 for two again but we feel that we can put in really good performances on a daily basis. The only way you can prepare effectively for Test match cricket is to play Test match cricket because it’s very tough to get into Test match intensity mode playing first-class cricket. It’s a very different game.
We had 18 days together as a unit, we tried a couple of different things and I thought the guys came into this match mentally fresh.”
Kirsten said, though, that the team’s job was only a third complete.
“We’ve got a great respect for the England cricket team. We know they will try and bounce back. We’re not going to take anything for granted.”
We were outplayed: Strauss
England captain Andrew Strauss gave credit to South Africa.
“We were outplayed in the last four days of the game,” said Strauss. “We set the game up well on the first day. South Africa used the conditions to their advantage on day two and they never let us back into the game. There are a number of areas where we are frustrated...there are regrets but we will learn the lessons and come back strong next week.”
One of Strauss’ regrets was that England were unable to come out of the game with a draw.
He said losing four wickets on the fourth afternoon was a disappointment.
“I suppose South Africa had a bit of a psychological advantage with us having been in the field for a period of time. We did not react well enough to that and that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.”
He said he had faith in the bowlers despite their lack of success at the Oval. Our bowling attack has huge reserves of confidence. They have taken 20 wickets pretty much every time they have played for the last two years and this game doesn’t change that for me.”
The win took South Africa a big step towards earning the number one ranking in Test cricket which they will achieve if they defeat current number ones England in the series. The second Test starts at Headingley in Leeds on August 2.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2012.
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