South Africa captain Graeme Smith said England skipper Nasser Hussain’s comments that they were a side split by divisions had helped the Proteas dominate the first day of the first Test at Edgbaston here on Thursday.
At stumps, South Africa were 398 for one with left-hander Smith unbeaten on 178 while opening partner Herschelle Gibbs had smashed 179.
In the build-up to the game Hussain had talked about ”splits” in the South African camp while, in the official match programme, he described the Proteas as ”ripe for the taking”.
But Smith said: ”That definitely played a role in motivating us. We fobbed them off because we knew the comments were a load of rubbish.
”It gave us a bit more heart and it puts pressure on you when you make comments like that.”
Western Province duo Smith and Gibbs put on 338 for the first wicket. In the process they became the first opening pair in Test history to post two partnerships of 300 runs or more in what was only their tenth first-wicket stand at this level.
In January they shared a first-wicket partnership of 368 against Pakistan at Cape Town.
”To be part of any pair that’s done that is a great feeling,” said Smith who, like Gibbs, cashed in on a good batting wicket after winning the toss.
Not that it was all plain sailing.
”We were a bit nervous up front. They bowled well. It was a difficult first hour but then we knuckled down,” said Smith, who at 22, is South Africa’s youngest captain.
”After lunch Herschelle raced away to a hundred. It was a fantastic knock and it allowed me to settle down,” added Smith after making a Test century against England at his first attempt.
Gibbs had been in a poor run of form, making just 17 runs in four innings against England during the triangular series.
But Smith added: ”With a player of his class, flair and talent we knew it wouldn’t be long.”
The duo’s dashing displays were just what South Africa needed after they went into the game without the run-hungry pair’s Western Province team-mate Jacques
Kallis who was back in Cape Town where his father died from lung cancer on Wednesday.
All the players from both teams wore black armbands in memory of Henry Kallis.
”In some ways it was an emotional day. We wanted Jacques to know he was in our hearts. We’re playing for him,” said Smith after helping South Africa score 234 runs in boundaries alone.
England coach Duncan Fletcher admitted his side had endured a tough day’s work.
”It was probably a good toss to win. You have to give the batsmen credit. Good batsmen are allowed to score hundreds,” he said.
”You have to remember our bowlers are very inexperienced. James Anderson’s not played in many Tests, Andrew Flintoff’s not bowled in many and Stephen Harmison’s inexperienced against batsmen at this level.
”They are all pretty attacking bowlers and maybe should have gone into a more defensive mode.”
Veteran fast bowler Darren Gough had a tough return, his 14 overs going for 64 runs, in what was the 32-year-old’s first game at this level, after two years out with a knee injury, following the final 2001 Ashes Test at The Oval.
”Gough probably struggled on a wicket like this. It didn’t suit his type of bowling,” Fletcher admitted. But he denied suggestions that the likes of Anderson and Flintoff were undercooked after being kept out of county cricket before and after the triangular series.
”Our best bowler in the morning was Flintoff and he was one of the ones who had a break, so what do you make of that?” snapped Fletcher.
And his mood was unlikely to have been improved by Smith’s parting shot of the day.
”The motto I operate by when I’m batting is that I’m never satisfied.
”Those two words are very relevant to this team at the moment,” insisted Smith. – Sapa-AFP