Michael Doman

Newlands, Cape Town

South Africa’s best bowling performance of the summer saw them win their first home series since 2008 when they triumphed 2-1 against Sri Lanka after winning the third Test by 10 wickets here yes- terday.

Proteas captain Graeme Smith praised his bowlers for operating effectively as a unit as his team bounced back from defeat in Durban last week.

“On Thursday each guy bowled well in spells and we were able to create pressure,” said Smith. “It wasn’t just one guy taking six or seven wickets. All three seamers and Immy (leg-spinner Imran Tahir) worked well together.

“(In recent years) we just haven’t had that killer punch. (Defeat in) Durban was a big wake-up call for the standards we need to have in the team,” added Smith.

In response to rumours that wicketkeeper Mark Boucher would be retiring from Test cricket, Smith said: “I think he’s secure as a gloveman for us.”

This would seem to apply to all assignments at least until the three-Test series against England in mid-year.

“Going to England, having a really good keeper is a key factor there,” said the captain.

There does not seem to be a whole lot wrong with the current Test combination based on the victory in Cape Town.

Recalled opener Alviro Petersen’s century and a 50 from Jacques Rudolph after moving down to No6 drew praise from Smith. “But someone is always on the chopping block whether we win or lose. We have to build on what we have done (here),” he said.

The Proteas’ next Test series is against New Zealand away and Smith is a little wary of travelling to the Antipodes. “You play on drop-in wickets and rugby fields. New Zealand know how to win there – and the weather conditions are blustery and cold.”

The one Sri Lankan player who impressed South Africa was middle-order batsman Thilan Samaraweera, who had found his way back into the team after some experimentation with younger players.

He scored 339 runs in the series at an average of 67.80. “He was the one guy who surprised us by the way he played,” said Smith.

Samaraweera would have been a contender for the Man of the Series award, although the accolade went to AB de Villiers.

Man of the Match for the third Test, Jacques Kallis, put in a good bowling performance to help finish off Sri Lanka in their second innings yesterday. He also scored 224 in South Africa’s first innings and took six catches in the match.

He admitted: “My one goal is that I want to be part of a team that win the World Cup – whether I get there only time will tell.

“You’ve got to put in the performances and if the body holds, there is no reason to stop (playing).”

Disappointed Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said the one positive out of the Test series was that the team proved they could win outside Sri Lanka, and without master spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, now retired, they had the bowling resources to take 20 wickets to achieve this.

He added that the team felt they could come back in the Newlands Test after conceding 580 runs in the Proteas’ first innings.

The Samaraweera-Angelo Mathews fifth-wicket partnership of 142 yesterday had given them hope, he said.

“Unfortunately, the (second) new ball did the damage. (And) we were 150/2 in the first innings before being bowled out for 239.

“We should have scored 450 runs in the first innings on a wicket like that,” the captain added.