New players have invigorated Australia: Ponting

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has rated his side's series win over South Africa as highly as the 5-0 Ashes comeback victory in 2006-07 and winning World Cups. Australia bowled South Africa out for 370 at Kingsmead on Tuesday to win the second test and take the series 2-0 with one match left. The victory, avenging a 2-1 home series defeat to South Africa two months ago, ensured Australia remain the top-ranked team.

"We have not given South Africa an inch and I'm as happy as I have ever been in my career," Ponting said. "It's as special a win as I've experienced, certainly right up there with the 5-0 Ashes comeback win and winning World Cups."

Ponting suggested his team's test series win over South Africa wasn't as unexpected as widely believed.

"Maybe people have overlooked the fact of how close the series in Australia was at times - we couldn't get over the line a couple of times," Ponting said of the Proteas' victories at Perth and Melbourne after fighting back from difficult positions.

"Whenever you lose a couple of matches, to bounce back the way we did against a side that no one expected you to beat is always very special."

Ponting lauded opening batsman Phillip Hughes, whose 115 and 160 in Durban earned him the man-of-the-match award.

"It's very exciting guys like Phillip have done very well right from the start," Ponting said. "His temperament is absolutely marvellous. When the bowlers were coming hard at him, he just had a smile on his face and he would say he's loving it.

"The new guys in the team - Phillip, Marcus North, Ben Hilfenhaus - have been unbelievable for us."

Asked about the Australians' chances in the Ashes series later this year, Ponting said: "All of a sudden we look good now; it's the nature of this game. You make a little change in personnel here and there and get some confidence in your group."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said the series loss was disappointing after what his side had achieved in the last year and a half.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said the series loss was disappointing after what his side had achieved in the last year and a half. "We did all the same preparation as when we won in Australia but the same intensity and execution just wasn't there," Smith said. "We never reached the same levels we did in Australia. We did not have the same levels of hunger or desperation.

We fought hard in the second innings of both tests but started indifferently with the ball in both. We did not do enough up front in both first innings, we left ourselves with too much to do.

"Australia were very good as a unit. They were very disciplined, and kept us under pressure for long periods of time. This is our first defeat in 10 or 11 series. We must be honest with ourselves, and take (the loss) on the chin. We must look at ourselves and bounce back."

The hosts showed fight Tuesday but it came too late to save the match. They will reflect on their poor first-innings total of 138, putting them on the back foot, and they will want a more disciplined performance from their bowlers in Cape Town.

The final test in Cape Town starts on March 19.