Smith feels for Vaughan

4 August 2008

Graeme Smith is embraced after South Africa seal the Test series at Edgbaston

Graeme Smith has empathised with Michael Vaughan after celebrating South Africa’s first Test series win on English soil for 43 years.

Smith, 27, is one of the few men in the history of the game to have captained in more Tests than Vaughan, who quit the England job yesterday after 51 games in charge.

The pair first locked horns in the 2003 campaign between the sides and have learned the ups and downs of the job ever since.

South Africa claimed the npower series with a five-wicket victory over England at Edgbaston on Saturday evening, with Smith’s pugnacious unbeaten 154 leading his side to their 281-run victory target.

Vaughan, meanwhile, decided that a return of just 40 runs in five innings against the Proteas was not up to the mark and has passed on the baton of responsibility.

“The captain feels a little less pressure if he is performing well,” said Smith. “There have been times when I have struggled and felt the pressure as a leader.

“To ask a lot of your players all the time when you’re not performing well is a big thing.

“But it is about being consistent when you’re doing well and not doing well - to try to be the same person.

“That has been the struggle over the years. There have been times when I have had to dig deep, I have had my tough moments but this year has been a great year so far, and it does help if you’re scoring runs. It takes pressure off you.”

South Africa now head for the Brit Oval attempting to take advantage of the flux in the English camp to complete an emphatic 3-0 victory.

Jeremy Snape's role as performance coach has proved invaluable to South Africa against England

And the input of a former England international has attempted to keep the South Africans focused on their task.

Jeremy Snape, who was playing for England in Twenty20 cricket less than a year ago, has made a strong impression as the tourists’ performance coach.

His words, in fact, helped South Africa wrest back the initiative after an impetuous third afternoon with the ball sent England into the fourth day with momentum.

“On the third day we came out a bit hot-headed again in the South African way and showed too much emotion,” said Smith.

“We lost our skill again and that is something we are working on all the time.

“He [Snape] is playing a big role in that and this win goes a long way to what he is trying to achieve from this team.

“We have got the skill, he is just trying to add little facets to our game.

“We can’t expect him to make a huge difference but he is making a little one day by day.”

Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn will have a fitness check on his fractured thumb today in his bid to feature in the final Test, which starts on Thursday.