'We didn't assess conditions properly' - Graeme Smith

After being handed a seven-wicket thrashing by England, South Africa's captain Graeme Smith has called on his young team to learn to adapt to conditions better. In the absence of the injured Jacques Kallis, South Africa have an inexperienced middle-order, which was blown away by the pace attack led by James Anderson.

The defeat came only two days after the home side crushed England by 112 runs in Cape Town. "It was a hugely disappointing performance today," Smith said. "Not so much at the outcome of the match, although it's always terrible to lose, but it's the fact that we didn't assess conditions well enough and post a total that would have been defendable."

After looking irresistible, piling up 354 on Friday, South Africa's batting was rolled over for 119 on Sunday. The only South African specialist batsman to stick around was their most inexperienced, Alviro Petersen, who made a battling half-century before becoming the last man out.

"One-twenty just wasn't enough. If we could have posted something over 200, then we would have been in with a chance," Smith said. "These guys have got the ability - it's just about getting their decision-making up to scratch.

"We've got a lot of young guys in key decision-making areas, and they need to learn quickly and grow with the responsibility that's been put on their shoulders, to move the team forward."

England already have an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series, but South Africa have a chance to level it in the final one-dayer in Durban on Friday.