Leeds, Aug 20: Captain Graeme Smith said South Africa would prove its superiority to England in the fourth Test at Headingley starting tomorrow, despite conceding advantage in the five-Test series. South Africa was hammered by 70 runs as Michael Vaughan's team leveled the series 1-1 at Trent Bridge on Monday after dominating the first two Tests.

"We want to prove we're the better team playing the better cricket," Smith told the media persons. "I don't feel we were beaten by a better team on a better wicket. "We are sure we were beaten by the wicket. We're not feeling down on ourselves, and still feel we haven't lost the momentum even through the series is 1-1."

England is the favourite to take the series lead, travelling 70 miles north of Trent Bridge to Vaughan's home ground. A win would put the home side in an unbeatable position before the final Test at the Oval. Outplayed in the first two Tests, a lucky England won a war of attrition in the third on a pitch that played well on the first day, and then got uneven and two-paced and wore quickly.

"We're irritated at the result. England wanted to do well at Trent Bridge, rightly so they did. It's up to us now to bounce back."

Bureau Report