Edgbaston, July 08:Tuesday's match counts for nothing in the NatWest Series table, but South Africa captain Graeme Smith is determined to strike a psychological blow against England. The day/night encounter is not only a dress-rehearsal for the one-day series final but another chance for the sides to size each other up ahead of the five-Test series, which begins later this month.
"If we can just leave something in the back of their minds for the Test series, then it would be great," said Smith.
"We treat every international as a big game and, with the Test series soon coming up, we want to keep the momentum going and keep them on the back foot "We hit our straps against England on Thursday, continued that against Zimbabwe on Saturday and we don't want to let anyone else in the door."
England won the first match between these two sides with a high-scoring six-wicket victory at The Oval, but the tourists hit back last week with a seven-wicket win under lights at Old Trafford.

And it took a resounding victory over Zimbabwe on Sunday to confirm the hosts' place in Saturday's final.

South Africa have grim memories of their last match at Edgbaston - the infamous tie with Australia that denied them a place in the 1999 World Cup final.

The home side have resisted making further changes in their batting, allowing Robert Key to continue with county side Kent for the rest of the series

England coach Duncan Fletcher insisted that his team would not be easing up, saying: "The most important thing is to win."

Bureau Report.