Smith's anger at Trent Bridge defeat

Graeme Smith has admitted that he felt "angry" at the way South Africa were beaten in the third Test at Trent Bridge on Monday. Despite dominating the series from the very first ball, South Africa enter Thursday's fourth Test at Headingley at 1-1, after a narrow 70-run defeat that owed a great deal to England's good luck at the toss.

"In many ways it doesn't feel like we've been beaten," Smith told reporters at Headingley. "Losing at Trent Bridge was more of an angry feeling. We showed immense character to take the match into five days. It didn't feel like we were beaten in the last game because conditions were not even-stevens."

But Smith, 22, was eager for his side to start afresh in Leeds. "We've put that behind us," he said. "As far as we are concerned it is as if the series hasn't started yet. We'll have to perform to our abilities as we did in the first two Tests."

South Africa's problems have been compounded by the absence of Shaun Pollock, who took 6 for 39 in England's second innings, but has returned to Durban for the birth of his daughter. "Shaun's a senior member of the squad," said Smith. "He's a world-class performer day-in and day out. Obviously we'll miss him a lot as we did Jacques Kallis in the first two Test matches.

"Someone else has got the opportunity to perform and hopefully they'll do that and take responsibility," he said. "The other bowlers have an extra workload, they realise that." The man who is most likely to benefit from Pollock's absence is the fast bowler Dewald Pretorius. "The wicket is in his favour," admitted Smith, who added that Gary Kirsten had recovered from an arm injury and would be fit to take his place again.

The uncapped Monde Zondeki is another candidate for Pollock's place, and his inclusion, alongside Makhaya Ntini, would give South Africa an all-black new-ball partnership for the first time in their history. But Eric Simons, South Africa's coach, played down that possibility. "Monde's time will come," he said, "and if it's tomorrow [Thursday] then so be it. But it won't be for any other reason than he is the right bowler."