GRAEME Smith's character is rock solid, but even he is susceptible to the pressures created by his lengthening list of achievements.

"Before the last test I'd wake up at four in the morning dreaming I'd got a pair," Smith said yesterday about the first test against Pakistan at the Wanderers.

That match made Smith the first player to captain a team in 100 tests, one of them of a World XI. He will reach a century of test captaincies for the Proteas at Newlands today.

"Representing SA 100 times as captain is the mark that means the most to me," Smith said. "Being a part of this team is important to myself so to be able to achieve a milestone in these colours is something I will remember for a long time."

He will also remember the quality cricket his team, the world's best test side, are playing. But even that cast a shadow. "The side has got really good at recognising moments in games - big days, big sessions - and making big impacts. When the game needs to be stepped up, we've found that extra bit.

"The challenge is to keep maintaining that performance, and it's always going to be a challenge. Every test, we've got to keep meeting those expectations."

SA did exactly that in Johannesburg, where they dismissed Pakistan for 49 in their first innings and won by 211 runs.

Newlands is unlikely to offer pace bowlers as much help as the Wanderers, but it will still be a much faster pitch than Pakistan are comfortable dealing with.