Gambler Smith Pleased With Result

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Smith - 'The team is on a high now.'

By Richard Gibson, PA Sport, Barbados

South Africa captain Graeme Smith admitted the gamble to drop Makhaya Ntini against England was one of the toughest in his time in charge.

The omission of Ntini from the Proteas' team sheet caused eyebrows to be raised as it was the first time the fast bowler had been left out purely on selection grounds for six years.

But a return of six wickets in seven outings meant others got their chance and it is difficult to envisage changes for next Wednesday's semi-final, in all probability against Australia, in St Lucia.

Andrew Hall returned five for 18, the 10th best figures in World Cup history, after testing opening spells from Shaun Pollock and Charl Langeveldt built the pressure - and England folded for 154.

"It was a very difficult decision," said Smith. "The discussion started during the last game because of the wickets we've been playing on.

"We've been looking for more in the 50 overs tactically and that was more why we did it.

"I thought Shaun and Charl bowled superbly with the new ball and they also offer you a spell late on in the innings in these conditions with changes of pace and also at the death. "With the wickets being so slow, Ntini has possibly struggled a little bit but it doesn't mean he's counted out for the next game.

"He was superb yesterday around the team environment, he's a great team man and we'll certainly be reassessing for the next game."

The clash at Kensington Oval was effectively a quarter-final as victory for England would have put them in the box seat for the final four.

But Smith, whose team came into the tournament as the number-one ranked side in the world, expected recent form to play its part.

It was as comprehensive a win as can be imagined between two Test nations as Smith's unbeaten 89 charged South Africa home in just 19.2 overs.

"The way we've played we consistently believe we can beat England," he said. "Over the last two or three years we have got to know we're a good one-day team. "We probably haven't hit our straps in this tournament before this match but our skills were superb and we made our own luck and it was nice to get this behind us because anything can happen in big games.

"We were all pretty emotional at the end of the game, we knew what a big game it was going to be and we were so clinical in the field. "We built pressure from the word go, got the ball in the right areas and created so much much pressure with the ball and in the field. "The boys were so focused on what they needed to do in the 48 overs or so we were out there."

Smith believes losing three times in the competition already - to Australia, New Zealand and Bangladesh - may have given his side the reality check they required.

"The team is on a high now, the momentum is good and if we had cruised along we might not have had the realities that we've had along the way," he said. "Just feeling the atmosphere in the dressing room now, it's really upbeat and positive, and it's the South African dressing room I'm used to and that will bode well going into the semi-final."