Smith looks for right reply

Strauss is one up on his South African counterpart ahead of Newlands [GALLO/GETTY]

Proteas captain Graeme Smith says South Africa will have to be “on top of their game” if they are to avoid a second-successive one-day defeat to England.

The home side go into the third one-dayer at Newlands 1-0 down in the series following their seven-wicket defeat at Centurion.

Smith said the England runs had smarted his team but that they were determined to even the score in Friday’s day-nighter.

“England have played very well and we’ll have to be at the top of our game tomorrow,” Smith said in Cape Town on Thursday.

“We’ve worked hard and we must play to our potential. If a team is putting on a 150-run partnership against you like at Centurion, it looks like you don’t have the answers.

“But we are all motivated to put in a better performance.”

Trott on tour

The Proteas captain also said no special attention would be paid to South Africa-born England batsman Jonathan Trott, who has been in good form on tour and who struck a fine 87 at Centurion.

Trott’s origins and the fact that he was a former teammate in the SA under-19 and Western Province teams did not bother him, Smith said.

If anything pained him about Trott, it was that someone in an England shirt was scoring runs against South Africa.

Reflecting on the number of South African-born players now playing for other countries, Smith joked that someone should “work with the Rand.”

“These days it’s more financial,” Smith said in reference to South African players moving abroad and trying to secure good contracts.

Winning momentum

England captain Andrew Strauss said it would be important for his side to maintain their winning momentum in the current series.

“When you have a bit of a run of form, the last thing you want to do is give the opposition a chance to come back. South Africa are a quality side. To expect them to roll over and die would be pretty naive“ England captain Andrew Strauss

“In the past maybe we have not been so good at following up a win with a better performance. We have to try to do that,” Strauss said.

“When you have a bit of a run of form, the last thing you want to do is give the opposition a chance to come back.

“South Africa are a quality side. To expect them to roll over and die would be pretty naive.”

England are expected to bring back all-rounder Stuart Broad after injury, while the Proteas might bolster their bowling resources by including left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell.

Strauss is also hoping to be able to select off-spinner Graeme Swann, who was battling to overcome a side strain.

Swann bowled at Wednesday’s practice session but if he is not fit to play, off-spinner James Tredwell and leg-spinner Adil Rashid would be competing for the spinner’s spot in the team.