Cricket: Smith bows out on a low

Australia's David Warner celebrates his century in the second innings in Cape Town. Photo / AP

Exits of skipper and Jacques Kallis represent a generational change for the Proteas.

South African cricket captain Graeme Smith's international cricket career ended on a low note, but Jacques Kallis hoped locals would remember the good times.

Smith was freed of the pressure to perform with the announcement of his retirement the previous night, but there was still no sterling sign-off on day four of the test series decider against Australia.

The 33-year-old fell to Mitchell Johnson for three and looked the same out-of-touch opener that has accumulated 45 runs in the series at an average of 7.5.

Kallis, who announced his test retirement before the three-match series against Australia, suggested the disappointing finish shouldn't take the shine off a distinguished career.

"He's another South African sportsman that hasn't got the credit he deserves [at home]," Kallis said.

"Hopefully he will be celebrated in retirement. We [South Africans] like to keep our guys down on the ground. We like to criticise.

"I don't know what it is. But I just hope we pay tribute to what he's done for South African cricket."

The exits of Kallis and Smith signal a generational change for the Proteas, although the former said he still planned to compete at the one-day World Cup next year.

The plaudits continued to flow in the wake of Smith's shock retirement, with former wicketkeeper Mark Boucher recalling the 2008-09 tour of Australia with much reverence.

Smith famously batted with a broken hand in Sydney, a memorable end to Australia's first test series loss at home in almost two decades. "South Africans and Australians have a love-hate relationship. We love to hate each other," Boucher said.

"For him to walk out in that game in Sydney, a lot of guys in our dressing room got emotional because it was only then they realised what had actually happened on that tour.

"That Australian crowd had actually come to fall in love with a captain they hated so much.

"The SCG crowd, having given out quite a bit of abuse over the years, was standing up and applauding an opposition captain.

"That was big and it showed a lot of respect."

• For the second test series in a row, David Warner will top the run-scoring charts.

The steadying influence of partner Candice Falzon was credited as the spark that helped Warner turn his life - and cricket career - around after punching England batsman Joe Root in a Birmingham bar last year.

Falzon helped Warner fire in the 2013-14 Ashes and compile 523 runs across the five tests, and has been alongside him for the three-test series in South Africa where he's scored 543.

But it was a more personal source of motivation Warner drew on as he took his career-best form to a new level and belted two belligerent centuries in the series decider at Newlands.

In the space of 15 seconds in a radio interview, Warner had put his foot in his mouth while discussing the opposition's reverse-swing in the second test.

Warner was fined by the ICC, punished by his own team, sternly criticised by the opposition and pilloried by many pundits.

The 27-year-old made amends the only way he knows - 30 boundaries and 280 runs spread across two typically free-flowing innings.

"When there is a little bit of pressure on, I do find another gear. It does help me sometimes," Warner said.

"The other thing is that when I get out there and they start giving me a little bit of banter, I love that.

"If they are not going to talk to me when I am out there, I will try to niggle them. I love it when they come at me. It is a challenge."AAP