PERTH: South Africa captain Graeme Smith thinks home advantage will give England the edge in the first of two Ashes series against Australia next year.
Uniquely qualified to comment having just led his team to a series win in England followed by yesterday’s triumph in Australia, Smith said he was choosing his words carefully given his location.
“I think the challenge for Australia is going to be winning in England,” he told reporters after South Africa’s 309-run win over Australia in Perth secured them the three-match series 1-0.
“I think (England) do play well in their own conditions. They know how to win there and to be able to adapt and play well there is going to be the challenge for Australia.
“They certainly have the players but from a mindset point of view, I think being a home series for England, I guess they’d have to be favourites.” England, who have won the last two Ashes series, will host Australia in the northern hemisphere summer before immediately heading down under for the return series beginning at the end of year.
The change in scheduling is to prevent the Ashes from immediately preceding the 50 overs World Cup every four years.
Smith hailed his team’s second successive series win in Australia as the finest moment of his decorated career.
The Proteas, forced to bat out for draws in the first two Tests, dominated the Australians in the third and final Test at the WACA Ground to post a 309-run win and retain their top ranking in Test cricket.
The Perth win made them the first team in two decades to defeat Australia in Australia on consecutive tours, with the West Indies the previous team to manage it in 1992-93. England is the only other country to have done so. “It’s hard to describe how satisfying this feels, to have done it twice is difficult to put into words,” said Smith, a veteran of 105 Tests, 97 of them as captain.
“One win here seemed a very long way off when we lost 2-0 back in 2005, but now we have won twice. It’s incredible - every single one of the players can feel extremely proud of themselves. This is the proudest achievement of my career.”
The series win also gave South Africa a six-point lead at the top of the ICC Test rankings, the biggest margin in more than four years.
They have done it by remaining unbeaten in 10 Tests this year, all on foreign soil.
The Proteas have not been beaten away since a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka in 2006 and Smith said the lead had been well-earned.
“It is nice to go home with a six-point gap and go and play in front of our own fans on our home grounds,” he said. AGENCIES
