It was a case of mission accomplished on Saturday at Edgbaston when South Africa claimed victory by five wickets in the third test over England to secure an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
Scenes of unrestrained joy played out among the South African team after SA skipper Graeme Smith struck the winning boundary. The opening batsman had played a vital knock - already called one of the greatest ever Test innings - in making an unbeaten 154 to guide the Proteas to an impressive victory.
The South African victory was a triumph for the depth of the squad. A positive and focused performance also helped Mickey Arthur's charges tighten their grip on second place in the world rankings.
Since SA's readmission to international cricket they have, on a number of occasions, taken a series lead in England only to relinquish it. This time around they secured the win before the final test and it was the all-round contribution of the team stood out.
Smith and company will have the opportunity to test their ability against the best in December when the Proteas tour Australia. It will be a showdown of the two highest ranked teams in world cricket.
The reasons why South Africa could challenge Australia Down Under have been on show during the past year, which has been among the most successful in the history of South African cricket.
Since the first Twenty20 World Championships, the Proteas have beaten New Zealand, the West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and England. The victories over Pakistan, Bangladesh and England were all achieved away from home. In addition, SA also shared a series against India in India after the Indians leveled the series in the final test on a pitch that drew the ire of the International Cricket Council.
Source: SouthAfrica.info
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