Paul Harris accuses Sreesanth of getting personal with Graeme Smith

Bad blood marred an otherwise absorbing day of cricket today with South African left-arm spinner Paul Harris accusing Indian pacer S Sreesanth of making personal remarks on home side captain Graeme Smith during an altercation in Durban.

Sreesanth and Smith appeared to exchange words and the South African captain pointed his bat at the Indian pacer shortly before his dismissal for 37 just before the tea break on the third day of the second Test at Kingsmead.

"We all know that normally Smith never reacts on the ground but I am sure he must have something personal. If Sreesanth has done that it's not great for him to do that. If he wants to do that he can do that," Harris said at the post-match press conference.

"The series is being played in good spirit. Remember number one and number two teams are playing against each other so you have to play hard, but you should not get personal," he added.

Indian batsman VVS Laxman, who hit a brilliant 96 today, said he was not sure what had happened but defended Sreesanth, saying that South African bowlers had also done the same to the visiting batsmen.

"It is a series between two top teams and in a tussle like that it's bound to happen," Laxman said.

"It's not only Sreesanth saying something to Graeme Smith but their bowlers have come at us hard. Both teams want to win badly. The intensity at which the game is being played is high."