Smith: We can improve

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The Proteas required 11 off the final over to reach their target of 249 and the Kiwis looked in control with nine needed from the last three balls, but Andre Nel hit back-to-back boundaries through the covers off Mark Gillespie to draw the scores level and his chip into the off-side off their final ball brought up the single needed for victory.

Smith admitted it was a "wake-up call" for his side after they dominated the recent Test series, saying: "We always knew New Zealand would be tough competitors. We've always had good contests against them. I think our skills can improve, especially in the bowling, but it's always nice to have things to work on when you're winning."

He added: "We had to work, and we're going to have to work harder in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. It's a good reality check for the guys going forward."

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was left to contemplate what might have been after the defeat.

"We should have won this match," he lamented, adding that dropped catches had cost his side.

"You don't get too many chances against good players," he said.

"We're letting ourselves down and it is hurting us. "It's hard to practise taking catches - the guys will take most of them while we're practising, but it's in the match that we have the problem.

"I think we just have to try to keep them calm and that will help."