'We can get better' - Smith

After sealing the five-match one-day series against New Zealand with a four-wicket win on Sunday, Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, says his side can - and will - keep getting even better.

South Africa, with some Justin Kemp belligerence again to the fore, reached their target with four balls and four wickets to spare to take an unassailable 3-0 lead and at least partially avenge their one-day series loss when they toured New Zealand last year.

Smith was quoted on www.news24.com as saying, "It was a very good game. I thought we fielded and bowled superbly, although we let it slip a bit in the last few overs. We should have kept them down to about 220.

"We're still about 30 off our best. We want to keep getting better, and we want to keep on winning. We want more free-flowing scoring - all our batsmen are in good form, we just need to string together some bigger partnerships."

Smith was particularly pleased with the performance in light of the absence of Jacques Kallis, their batting mainstay and recently voted ICC Player of the Year.

"Herschelle batted superbly, and Justin (Kemp) and Shaun (Pollock) were brilliant. We're growing in confidence, and we are all loving our cricket, and loving playing for South Africa."

Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, was understandably disappointed at losing the series so early. But he also insisted that his team would fight to give the final scoreline some semblance of respectability.

"We are aiming to win the last two matches - we've lost the series, but 3-2 would be preferable to 5-0. We certainly aren't just going to roll over. It's very tough to beat South Africa. We keep giving them opportunities, and they are taking them."

The next match is at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday, and the final match will be played in Centurion on Sunday.