Smith hails series win as 'proudest achievement'

Updated December 04, 2012 18:03:32

South African captain Graeme Smith has hailed the Proteas' second successive series win in Australia as the finest moment of his decorated career.

The Proteas, forced to bat out for draws in the first two Tests, dominated the Australians in the third and final Test at the WACA to post a 309-run win and retain their top ranking in Test cricket.

The Perth win made South Africa the first team in two decades to defeat Australia in Australia on consecutive tours, with the West Indies the previous team to manage it in 1992-93. England is the only other country to have done so.

As it happened: Third Test, Day Four

"It's hard to describe how satisfying this feels, to have done it twice is difficult to put into words," said Smith, a veteran of 105 Tests, 97 of them as captain.

"One win here seemed a very long way off when we lost 2-0 back in 2005, but now we have won twice.

"It's incredible - every single one of the players can feel extremely proud of themselves.

"This is the proudest achievement of my career."

The series win also gave South Africa a six-point lead at the top of the ICC Test rankings, the biggest margin in more than four years.

South Africa has done it by remaining unbeaten in 10 Tests this year, all on foreign soil.

The Proteas have not been beaten away since a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka in 2006 and Smith said the lead had been well-earned.

"It is nice to go home with a six-point gap and go and play in front of our own fans on our home grounds," he said.

"It has been a long haul away from home, with some tough challenges, and to come through them has been really special."

Smith praised the fighting spirit of his side in regrouping after being outplayed in the first two Tests of the series.

Like retiring Australian batsman Ricky Ponting, Smith pointed to the second day of the Test as the defining point in the series.

The Proteas started the day under pressure after being bowled out for 225, but restricted the home team to 163, before piling on 206 runs in the day's final session on the back of attacking batting by Smith and Hashim Amla.

"Day two for me has got to go down as one of the highlights of South African cricket," he said.

"The way we bowled and the way we batted in that evening session to take the game away from Australia."

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, perth-6000, wa, australia, south-africa

First posted December 04, 2012 11:49:34

View the original article here

Warner hails inspirational Clarke

By Paul Newman

Updated November 23, 2012 09:40:37

Australian century-maker David Warner says captain Michael Clarke's incredible form with the bat is providing an inspiration for all members of the team.

Warner was the first of three Australian batsmen to reach triple figures on day one of the Adelaide Test against South Africa, when the hosts posted their second highest single-day Test total in history.

After a shaky start that saw Australia stumble to 3 for 55, Clarke's men finished the day at 5 for 482.

Look back on how the action unfolded.

Clarke remains unbeaten on 224, making him the first batsmen to post a score in excess of 200 four times in a calendar year.

It follows his 259 not out in the first Test at the Gabba.

Warner made 119 off just 112 balls, while Michael Hussey scored a second successive Test century before being bowled on the last ball of the day for 103.

Warner says Clarke continues to lead Australia by example and is flourishing as a great skipper.

"He's set a great precedent for anyone following in his footsteps as a captain and a leader," Warner told Grandstand.

"It was a phenomenal effort by him."

Clarke's latest double-ton came off 243 balls, including 39 fours and one six.

It continues an amazing year for the Australian captain which began with 329 not out against India at the SCG in January.

He went on to score 210 against India in Adelaide and is yet to be dismissed by the Proteas in this series.

Clarke says he is more excited by what the team has achieved rather than his own incredible batting efforts.

"It's nice to be making runs, don't get me wrong, but you don't really think about that to be honest," he told Grandstand.

"I see 482 on the board and I want to make some more runs tomorrow and do whatever we can to win this Test.

"It is only day one of the Test with four big days to go. We have to turn up tomorrow morning and be ready to win the Test."

Clarke says when he is scoring runs he just wants to cash in to make the most of his form.

"I'm as fit as I've ever been, that's for sure," he said.

"Physically and mentally I have done the work and I guess that is why I manage to make big scores or bat for long periods of time."

Deflecting praise from his own effort, Clarke applauded the courage of Warner and the consistency of Hussey.

Warner says he headed into this Test confident of doing well despite suggestions he was under pressure to hold his spot following a disappointing performance in Brisbane.

"There was a little bit of pressure on myself, a lot of reports in the papers trying to say there was a lot of pressure on me, but I never felt it," Warner said.

"The preparation I had before the Test was fantastic, I hit a lot of balls in the nets."

Warner's mum and dad were in the stands to watch him notch his third Test century, but the opener says there was someone else also on his mind.

"My pop is always watching over me and I always know he is there. I had faith in him to get me there today," he said.

Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted November 22, 2012 19:48:43

View the original article here

Clarke hails belief after Caribbean comeback

Updated April 12, 2012 17:08:48

When times are tough in next year's bid to regain the Ashes in England, Australia's cricketers can draw on their comeback win over the West Indies in Barbados to show nothing is impossible.

From 8 for 258 in reply to the Windies' first innings of 9 for 449 declared on the fourth morning in Bridgetown, Australia rose from nowhere to stun the home team and complete a three-wicket win in the evening gloom.

Australia's three-wicket win on the fifth and final day completed a remarkable five-session turnaround at Kensington Oval, chasing down 192 runs in 47 overs.

Earlier, Australia claimed the five Windies' second-innings wickets in the morning session to dismiss the hosts for 148.

Victory was achieved through Ryan Harris's match-turning 68 not out, Michael Clarke's bold decision to declare while still 43 runs behind in the first innings - the first time an Australian team has declared behind and won the match with all 11 players available to bat - and then a devastating three-wicket spell by Ben Hilfenhaus to gut the Windies' top order.

Clarke said the victory is the sort of effort which his team can draw upon in the challenges that lie ahead - particularly next year's Ashes campaign in England.

"As a player individually, I guess you realise and experience the thought of things not going to plan at the start of the game but you can still win - you can turn it around," he said.

"It gives every single player in the team confidence that if they back their own ability, whether it be with bat or with ball, you can have success at this level, in any conditions, even if your back is to the wall."

The back-from-the-dead nature of the win harked back to Australia's turnaround in the 2006-07 Ashes Test in Adelaide where England posted 6 for 551 declared only for Shane Warne and Michael Hussey to lead Australia to a stunning win on its way to a 5-0 series whitewash.

That team was of a more-experienced nature than Clarke's line-up but, with five straight Test wins under their belt, Clarke is hopeful a new winning mentality based on unwavering self belief is being developed.

"I remember Warney telling me back then that with a day and a half left in the (Adelaide) Test match, that we would win the game and I was trying to work out how," Clarke said.

"At best, surely, we'd get a draw but he had no doubt in his mind. For me as a young player, I thought 'righto, that's my attitude - I'm going to win'.

"A few years on and I'm in the change rooms telling the boys we're going to win this Test match. Hopefully, a few of them believe me the way I believed Warney back then.

"It shows, if you have that self belief ... that you find ways.

"I know it's tough. I know we're tired. I know there's going to be issues of the foot marks. I know it's going to be a tough run chase but find a way.

"Credit to the boys, they certainly found a way."

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, barbados

First posted April 12, 2012 16:52:09

View the original article here