In the Observer, Vic Marks salutes Graeme Smith after his majestic, series-clinching century at Edgbaston.
Smith had neutered the England attack with his massive resolve and composure. By the end he was toying with an undermanned and exhausted England attack to take South Africa another step towards their long-term goal. They had not won a series in England since their return to the international scene. Next stop Australia. And Smith will not be intimidated there either.
In the Sunday Telegraph, Steve James says the defeat merely exposed England's failings, something a weak New Zealand side had been unable to do earlier in the summer.
In the Observer, Mike Brearley salutes Paul Collingwood for putting England in a position of strength, despite the loss.
Collingwood had clearly decided that he wasn't going to die like a rat in a hole, he would fight his way out.
Stephen Brenkley writes in the Independent on Sunday that following the series loss, "There will have to be some blood on the selectors' carpet this morning (when the England team for the final Test is selected) otherwise the knives will be out for them."
Jacques Kallis was apoplectic after being dismissed when he failed right to to sight a full ball coming out of a dark area of seating above the sightscreen at the Pavilion End of the ground. Angus Fraser, writing in the Independent on Sunday, says Kallis was well within his rights to complain to the umpire and that the sightscreen problem should have been fixed.
Also read John Stern's take on the issue in the Sunday Times.
Whatever the merits of Arthur’s complaints about the sightscreen it was apparent that Kallis had allowed his concerns about it to play fatally on his mind. For a man of his vast experience who is usually so unflappable, it was an uncharacteristic lack of professionalism.
The South Africans had in fact, sent 12th man Robin Peterson, up to the Warwickshire committee room balcony with a white towel to counter the ‘blind spot’, writes Neil Manthorp in SuperSport
"He was verbally abused immediately and told to go away," confirmed team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee. "They called him an effing cheat."
