Smith - Complete performance

Proteas off to a flyer in one-day series

Last updated: 12th January 2011   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Smith - Complete performance

Smith: won the toss and batted

It was a pretty complete performance. It was a lot better certainly then what I expected coming into the game.

Graeme Smith
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Graeme Smith admitted he was pleasantly surprised by his side's emphatic 135-run victory over India in the first ODI at Durban.

"It was a pretty complete performance," the Proteas skipper said. "It was a lot better certainly then what I expected coming into the game.

"I think the AB and JP partnership was key after Hash (Amla) played so well.

"I thought beforehand that 290-300 was always going to be a tough score to chase down, especially with all the rain about in recent days, which made the outfield slower."

The South Africa captain also praised his bowlers, adding: "I thought we were superb with the ball tonight.

"The attack as a whole bowled really well. Lopsy (Tsotsobe) up front led with great skill and good bounce.

"So there were a lot of positives tonight and we obviously want to keep building on this."

Expensive

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt Ashish Nehra's expensive spell during the home side's innings was crucial. The left-arm paceman conceded 61 runs in his six overs.

"(We were) completely outplayed," Dhoni said. "They got of to a very good start. We were playing with four bowlers and quite a few part-timers.

"Ashish also had a bad day, which meant that in the middle we had to bowl close to 15 overs, so we were under pressure."

Only Virat Kohli (54) managed any significant contribution with the bat and Dhoni added: "We were suppose to chase and I don't think we got the start that was needed because we are always a side that banks on a good start, wickets in hand and then we look to chase even eight or nine runs an over.

"But it never really happened for us in this game."

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