South Africa’s emphatic victory over England in the fourth and final Test match at the Wanderers on Sunday saw the Proteas retain their position as the world number two Test team, four points behind India and two ahead of Australia in the latest rankings released on Monday.
The win meant that the series was shared one-all, and South Africa retained the Basil d’Oliveira Trophy they won in England in 2008. But most would agree that the results flattered England — South Africa dominated three of the four Tests and were the better team.
“Oh, what I’d give for a decider,” mused Proteas captain Graeme Smith after the victory.
Smith was the top run scorer, with 427 at an average of 61. He and Jacques Kallis made two centuries each and Mark Boucher became only the second wicketkeeper, after Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, to pass 5 000 Test runs.
But possibly the main difference between the two teams was South Africa’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, who are rapidly becoming one of the best opening attacks in the world.
“I’ve kept to Allan Donald and to Shaun Pollock, and I can’t say whether these two are the best South Africa’s produced, but I’d certainly rather be keeping to them than facing them,” said Boucher, the joint Man of the Series.
Steyn was injured for the first Test, and was still recovering in the second, but was back to the form that made him the world’s number one bowler for the third and fourth matches.
“Dale’s performed unbelievably well for some time now and deserves his ranking,” said Smith. “He’s really led our attack well, but I think Morne, coming back from having been left out, working on his game, was able to have a really good series with the ball.”
Steyn also praised Morkel; saying watching him bowl throughout the series had been a highlight. Morkel had a particularly brilliant spell on Sunday, in which he took three wickets without conceding a run. He finished with match figures of six for 30.
“With Makhaya [Ntini] falling away, Morne’s stepped up to the plate and he’s bowled tremendously. In this line-up, I’ve actually been behind him — he’s been the spearhead,” said Steyn.
A talking point throughout the series was the umpire decision review system, designed to eliminate bad decisions.
There were several contentious decisions, but a storm erupted when third umpire Daryl Harper upheld a decision that Smith was not out when he was on 15 in South Africa’s only innings at the Wanderers, despite a noise which indicated that he had nicked the ball. England complained to the match referee and the International Cricket Council announced on Sunday that it was investigating the review system because of the row.
Smith, who went on to score 105, suggested that England might have allowed themselves to be distracted by the controversy.
“It was something that made us happy,” he said. “They spent so much time and energy on that stuff that it allowed us to focus on our cricket. To see them lose focus on what was more important gave us confidence.”
England captain Andrew Strauss, however, denied that they had lost focus.
“I think we were far more frustrated by the way we played than anything that went on in the review system,” Strauss said.
“I think the review system has worked pretty well in this series. I think we got more decisions right as a result of it.
“It often happens when you’re behind in a game, and you’re clutching at straws, things don’t go your way.” — Sapa