Ruthless Proteas please Smith

The tournament began in dramatic style on Friday with hosts England losing off the last ball to the Netherlands at Lord8217;s while Saturday saw Scotland give New Zealand a scare in a match reduced by rain to seven overs per side.

But led by AB de Villiers8217;s blistering 79 not out,featuring six sixes,South Africa piled up a huge total of 211 for five here at the Oval.

Fast bowler Dale Steyn then struck early on and when Scotland were bowled out for 81 they8217;d suffered the second heaviest defeat suffered by any side in a Twenty20 international 8211; Sri Lanka beat Kenya by 172 runs during the inaugural World Twenty20 in Johannesburg two years ago.

8220;We probably had a few more nerves after watching the first few days of the tournament and seeing a few of the unpredictable results,8221; said Smith,who shared a first-wicket stand of 87 with Jacques Kallis.

8220;It was important to send a message and we did that.8221; Scotland captain Gavin Hamilton admitted his largely part-time team had been given some object lessons,especially by the Proteas8217; batsmen.

8220;They are an absolutely fantastic outfit,8221; ex-England all-rounder Hamilton said. 8220;They didn8217;t give any breathing space at all. It is a reality check.

8220;The clean striking of the ball was just outstanding. You don8217;t really appreciate it until you are in that fielding ring listening to the sound off the bat.8221;

Defeat saw Scotland 8211; who failed this year to qualify for the 2011 World Cup in Asia 8211; bow out of the tournament.

Hamilton,who said a national academy ought to be providing younger players for the Scotland side,admitted there was a danger of an unbridgeable gap opening up.

8220;We8217;ve had eight days together and we are playing against the world8217;s best cricket teams but unless we chug along behind them we will get left behind,8221; Hamilton said.

South Africa are likely to face a far sterner test from New Zealand at Lord8217;s on Tuesday and said: 8220;We8217;ve played against New Zealand enough to know they are tough competitors,and they can challenge and beat anybody. We will respect them as we would any opponent.8221;

He added: 8220;The big focus for us is playing to our intensity,and playing our game. If we can do that,we can challenge any team in this tournament.8221;

8220;We have got good players in both areas,8221; said Smith. 8220;It is about finding a balance between the touch players and the power players.8221;