Cricket: Smith finds Black Caps light relief after rigours of Australia

Graeme Smith has hailed the development of the South African test squad, saying the performance against New Zealand has come as a great relief after the recent battering at the hands of Australia.

Having lost five out of six tests against Australia earlier in the season, the South African skipper is feeling much more optimistic about the short-term future, particularly after his side performed strongly in the first two rubbers against New Zealand.

Not only have some of the incumbents rediscovered their touch, but a couple of new faces have added a fresh edge to the South Africans test combination, and there has even been room for the selectors to rest a batsman such as Herschelle Gibbs.

Smith said the class of top-order batsman Hashim Amla was demonstrated beyond doubt in the second test at Newlands, and had been complimented by the form of fast-bowler Dale Steyn, who now looks to have cemented his place.

Add the performance of left-hander Ashwell Prince, and he said it was clear that South African had made significant strides since being torn apart by Australia in this summer's reciprocal test series.

"Steyn has been a revelation," said Smith. "It's not the easiest time of year to be a top-order batter but I think our strike-force of Dale and Makhaya Ntini have created a lot of chances and is looking very promising.

"They're both bowling quick and getting the ball into good areas, and I think they were especially unlucky at Newlands. With an ounce more luck we could have had New Zealand 40 for five."

Just as encouraging, he said, was the way Amla took his chance at Cape Town, in the process offering the South African selectors some useful top-order options, with Gibbs likely to return to the fray at some point.

"Amla's a pretty calm guy," he said. "He's got a very clear head about the game and when you discuss strategy with him you can see he's absorbing it and forming his own solutions.

"I don't think the occasion gets to him, really, and that's a very good sign in this game. I also think he plays spin, in particular, superbly - and that augurs well for both him and the team."

Smith said the South Africans had been delighted with their improvement since New Zealand arrived for the series, and claimed the impetus gathered from that would serve the squad well when they departed for their tour of Sri Lanka this winter.

He said the Proteas were determined to continue adopting an attacking and aggressive game-plan, and that the rise of Amla and Steyn, together with the blossoming form of Prince, would help push them towards that goal.

"We want to play winning cricket, we want to play positive cricket - all the time," he said. "We could have risked all in the second test but we thought it wasn't worth it.

"Much better, we felt, to grind New Zealand's bowlers into the ground, given there was another test coming up three days later. It gave us some momentum to take to the Wanderers."

Meanwhile, Prince has expressed relief at his century this week, saying the pressure of having to continually face the music against Australia had been becoming difficult to deal with.

"Obviously our batting this season hasn't been great, so I'm very aware that I have to be on the ball against New Zealand," said Prince. "It doesn't matter how the pitch is playing or what the quality of the bowling is - at this level you simply have to perform.

"I think the experience of playing six consecutive tests against Australia can stuff you up after a while. Batting against Australia, you're always under pressure.

"But we've learned a lot as a team and as individuals, and that stands us in good stead for the future."