Team still confident of Sydney win: Harris

Sydney:

South Africa may have to play the rest of the third and final Test against Australia without a skipper but spinner Paul Harris on Sunday said the team remains unfazed by the setback and confident of whitewashing the world champions.

South Africa, who have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, ended day two of the third match 125 for one, after skipper Graeme Smith retired with a broken finger, in reply to Australia's first innings total of 445.

Smith's absence compounded the crisis for South Africa who went into the match minus vice-captain Ashwell Prince who is nursing a thumb injury.

But an unperturbed Harris said he wasn't too disappointed with the way things have panned out for the Proteas so far in the match.

"I don't think we're disappointed at all. It was a hard day but that is Test cricket. You are going to go through those days but it is about how you come back," Harris said.

"We have proved that throughout this Test series we have had some pretty rough days in this Test series and we have come back fighting and I expect us to come back fighting tomorrow," he added.

Lavishing praise on Smith, Harris said he trusted his captain to forget pain and come out to bat if the visitors needed a few runs to win in the second innings.

"I don't think people realise how hard it is to play with the pain that he does have. A lot of guys would have packed it in long ago and had an operation and got better but he has carried on," Harris said.

"We respect him for that and he deserves his rest. If we need 10 to win I am pretty sure that Graeme will go in there (to bat)," he asserted.