Mature South Africa look to bounce back

March 5, 2009

Match facts

March 6-10, 2009
Start time 10.00am (08.00GMT)

Big Picture

If the mutual tours constituted one big series the score would be 2-2, which highlights just how closely matched these teams are. Instead, Australia hold a 1-0 lead and with victory in Durban they can claim the series and retain the No. 1 Test ranking, which looked like disappearing across the Indian Ocean following South Africa's triumph in Australia.

The short four-day turnaround after the Wanderers Test probably favours South Africa, whose more mature attack is used to bouncing back quickly after tough five-day contests. Australia's young fast men left Johannesburg sore and exhausted but happy with their result and if they can regain their spark by Friday they will enjoy the pace and bounce at Kingsmead. The result might be unpredictable but all anybody can hope for is as tight a game as these teams have become used to putting on recently. If the contest between bat and ball is anywhere near as even as it was in Johannesburg, the fans will be in for a treat.


Form guide (last five Tests, most recent first)

South Africa LLWWW
Australia WWLLW



Watch out for

Morne Morkel was criticised for his inconsistency at the Wanderers, although he did bowl a few cracking deliveries. At Kingsmead, the extra bounce should make him even more of a handful when he gets it right. The pressure will be on Morkel to lift his game; his brother Albie has been called into the squad and the two are highly competitive. The last thing Morne would want would be a Waugh-like situation where the established brother made way for the new one to make his Test debut.

Simon Katich has been Australia's top-order rock in the past 12 months and his double failure in Johannesburg was a rare slip. The inexperienced members of the batting line-up performed strongly but men like Phillip Hughes and Marcus North could yet have an up-and-down introduction to Test cricket so it will be vital for Katich to provide stability through the remainder of the series.


Team news

South Africa haven't changed their line-up at all in the four Test they have played against Australia recently and despite the loss in Johannesburg that's a trend that is likely to continue. Their 12-man squad lost Lonwabo Tsotsobe to injury and Albie Morkel was included as his replacement. But the coach Mickey Arthur is keen to back his existing pace attack on the bouncy Durban pitch and the spinner Paul Harris is also expected to retain his spot despite never having played a Test at Kingsmead.

South Africa (likely) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Neil McKenzie, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Paul Harris, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

For all their injuries and last-minute squad additions, it is likely that Australia will go in with the same 11 that triumphed at the Wanderers. Peter Siddle has a foot problem and Ben Hilfenhaus is battling a sore back and the group has two fast-bowling cover players, Brett Geeves and Steve Magoffin. However, the captain Ricky Ponting expects Siddle and Hilfenhaus to play, which would leave their only decision as whether to include either of their specialist spinners, Bryce McGain or Nathan Hauritz. The medium-pacer Andrew McDonald could be the man in danger if a slow bowler is preferred but with rain around Durban on match eve, an all-seam attack again seems likely.

Australia (likely) 1 Phillip Hughes, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Andrew McDonald, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.


Pitch and conditions

Kingsmead always offers plenty of bounce and pace and there's no reason to expect anything different on this occasion. There was rain on the morning before the match and a chance of thunderstorms on the first day.


Stats and Trivia

Australia had recent form on their side at the Wanderers but neither side can claim the upper hand at Kingsmead, where there has been one win each and a draw in the three Tests between Australia and South Africa in the post-apartheid era
Since 2002, only two slow bowlers have collected at least three wickets in an innings at Kingsmead: Shane Warne and Anil Kumble
In Hashim Amla's eight Test innings against Australia in the past three months, he has been out in the 50s four times and is yet to capitalise on his strong starts


Quotes

"It was interesting to see what they thought were the real problem areas for them in that [Johannesburg] game. I don't want to tell you what I think they are because they'll read about them."
Ricky Ponting is keeping his cards close to his chest

"The team sat together and we were pretty open and honest with where we were and what we wanted to achieve. I think that's the manner of the group, it's come a long way in terms of maturity."
Graeme Smith isn't panicking after the Johannesburg loss