S. Africa must be ``more ruthless`` to secure wins: Smith

Cape Town: Proteas Test captain Graeme Smith has said that his team needs to be more ruthless after letting Australia of the hook in the recent series.

South Africa last won a Test series on home soil in December 2008 against Bangladesh. They lost to Australia in early 2009, drew with England in 2010, drew with India at the beginning of this year and also drew the recent two-Test series 1-1 against the Aussies. The Proteas looked set to win a home Test series against Australia for the first time since 1970 before the Aussies successfully chased down a 310-run winning target in the final Test at the Wanderers for a record fourth innings chase at the ground. "One of the things that we need to cut out is our proneness to follow up a good session with a bad one and we also need to be more ruthless when we find ourselves in a winning position." Smith was quoted as saying in a daily. "The Test series against Australia wasn`t a disappointment, especially because we played few big cricket in the eight months prior to that." said Smith. The Proteas start a three-Test series against Sri Lanka at SuperSport Park in Centurion on December 15. ANI