Smith savours victory as Vaughan rues lost unity

LEEDS (England), July 22: South Africa will savour Monday’s victory over England at Headingley, where they went 1-0 up in the series, though they are aware history is against them, captain Graeme Smith said.

South Africa have not won a Test series in England since 1965 and since their return from sporting isolation they have taken the lead in the three series they have played in 1994, 1998 and 2003 only to fail to go on and triumph.

“We are going to enjoy this moment [first],” Smith told reporters. “Edgbaston is a little time away but it is something we have been aware of all the time. The important thing is that we are on the up.

“Edgbaston is a pressure cooker atmosphere for any away team, but in the meantime we will relax things a little and prepare and hopefully play as well at Edgbaston as we have here.”

Smith and his opposite number Michael Vaughan both acknowledged that England’s below-par total of 203 on the first day presented the tourists with an opportunity to take the lead in the four-match series.

The South Africa skipper paid tribute in particular to the way A.B. de Villiers played for his 174 — saying “it was a man’s innings” — after getting booed by the crowd for his part in a controversial catch incident.

While Smith said England “played frantically” to be bowled out in just 52.3 overs, Vaughan admitted his side batted “like millionaires” before South Africa showed a more sensible and circumspect approach.

“We are a better batting unit than 203 — 350 would have put us in the game,” Vaughan said. “South Africa went out and batted how you can bat on a Headingley pitch.”

“Over the next week it’s important the guys get away and work and come back to the squad on Sunday and react like we did at Lord’s and get that buzz back. This week it wasn’t there.”

England, who made 203 on Friday, were dismissed for 327 in their second innings shortly before the close on the fourth day, leaving South Africa needing only nine runs to win.

South Africa’s winning performance was dominated by centuries from de Villiers and Man-of-the-Match Ashwell Prince (149) as they set up their team’s imposing first innings total of 522.

Andrew Flintoff, in his first Test for 18 months, resisted South Africa’s victory charge in an unusually slow innings of 38 from 95 balls before he was caught at second slip off Morne Morkel. The time in the middle should at least be some consolation for him and England.

Tim Ambrose was caught behind off Steyn for 36 from 94 balls after he abandoned his patient approach. He may be under pressure to retain his place after one half-century in his last nine Test innings.

Stuart Broad hit an unbeaten 67 at the end of the innings with 11 cleanly struck boundaries. He added 61 for the last wicket with Pattinson (13).

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 203 (M. Morkel 4-52, D.W. Steyn 4-76).

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings 522 (A.B. de Villiers 174, A.G. Prince 149).

ENGLAND (2nd Innings):

A.J. Strauss c Boucher b Ntini 0

A.N. Cook c Amla b Kallis 60

M.P. Vaughan c Boucher b Ntini 21

J.M. Anderson lbw b Steyn 34

K.P. Pietersen c Boucher b Kallis 13

I.R. Bell c de Villiers b Morkel 4

T.R. Ambrose c Boucher b Steyn 36