Skipper Graeme Smith bows out on a high after series victory

Graeme Smith expressed his satisfaction with South Africa's 33-run Duckworth/Lewis victory over India in Pretoria yesterday and was especially pleased with the character his side had shown during the five-match series.

The hosts were 2-1 down after the first three games, but turned the scoreline around in the captain's final two matches at the helm on home soil before he steps down after the World Cup.

"I think it was great. Obviously for me to finish off with the guys playing so well here in South Africa was a very nice feeling," Smith said. Their win at Centurion looked to be another straightforward one after Hashim Amla's unbeaten 116 and Morne van Wyk's 56 helped them post 250 for nine in 46 overs - a target that was inflated to 268 in the same number of overs following a 75-minute rain delay.

They then reduced the Indians to 119 for eight before Yusuf Pathan bludgeoned a whirlwind 105 from 70 to give his side hope. But he fell with 50 still needed and South Africa then went on to seal the win.

Smith continued: "I know his potential and he showed it again here today. I thought he threw the game away for them at the end there, though. He hits the ball so sweetly and once he gets on a roll he can clear the boundary so easily. I don't think we were aggressive as we wanted to be when he and Zaheer were going."

However, Smith felt his side were well positioned to kick on at next month's World Cup.

He added: "I think we learnt some important lessons in this series. We easily could have been 4-0 up coming into this game.

"We arrived in Port Elizabeth 2-1 down and we wanted to put in two good performances. We were the team under pressure and we needed to play well under that pressure. We have a really good chance at the World Cup."

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt the failure of his batsmen during the past five games cost them the series. Apart from Virat Kohli and Pathan, who averaged 48 and 55 respectively, the next best was Suresh Raina with 22.

"I think the whole tour was good for us, but the batting department didn't really do well for us," said Dhoni after guiding his side to a drawn Test series and win in the only T20.