Sreesanth thanks Smith

Cape Town - Controversial Indian fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth on Sunday thanked South African captain Graeme Smith for igniting his tour.

Sreesanth and Smith had a heated exchange during the second Test in Durban, which India won by 87 runs, culminating in Sreesanth dismissing Smith, who played a loose shot at a crucial stage.

The fast bowler claimed he was not thinking of his clash with Smith when he opened the bowling in the third Test at Newlands on Sunday.

"I don't look at the past. I look at right now," he said.

But when pressed, an unrepentant Sreesanth said: "Thanks to Smith. He woke me up in the series. I was very quiet, so thanks to him for speaking to me.

"I was very happy bowling a short one and getting his wicket. He told me I am not good enough. I told him, 'I think I am good enough to get you out'."

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said at his pre-match conference on Saturday that Sreesanth sometimes over-stepped the line of acceptable behaviour and needed to be kept under control.

"He said that yesterday?" asked Sreesanth. "He didn't say anything to me today (Sunday)."

South African batsman Hashim Amla, who was one of Sreesanth's two victims on Sunday, was asked whether there had been an exchange of words when he was dismissed.

"There weren't any words exchanged," said Amla. "I didn't say anything back."