Michael Clarke’s side completed a remarkable turnaround from no wins in nine Tests against India and England to thrash hapless England with a clean sweep at home.
It’ll mean nothing if something close to that form isn’t repeated off their own turf and against a far superior batting and bowling line-up – the best in the world for both in fact.
Sure, Australia just won 5-0 at home, but with a series win against India South Africa have stretched their undefeated run to five years.
“That’s why they are the No. 1 team in the world,” said Clarke, who covets their title having gone to the top of the one-day rankings and reached third after passing England in Tests.
Clarke was cagey in the pre-Test press conference as to who will line up against Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn and co, but Alex Doolan is a big chance to debut after the axing of George Bailey and the injury of Shane Watson.
“There’s three options: six batters, three fast-bowlers, and ‘Lyono’ [Nathan Lyon]; five batters and the all-rounder in Moises [Henriques]; six batters and four fast-bowlers – no spinner and use myself and Steve Smith for that,” Clarke said.
Spinners have take just 19 per cent of wickets in the past five Tests at Centurian, so the prospect of a Lyon-free attack isn’t out of the question, although that could just reflect South Africa’s only weakness, the lack of a world class tweaker.
Lefthanders Shaun Marsh and Phil Hughes will likely be battling to the last minute to prove their worth as the extra batsman in the line-up.
Such decisions are far from South Africa’s mind. Sure, they’ve lost the best all-rounder of recent times in Jacques Kallis’s retirement, but still have to top two batsmen, AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, and bowlers, Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn, in the ICC Test rankings
“They have been able to perform consistently at home and away from home over a long period of time, a little bit like the Australian team that I first walked into,” said Clarke, who’s been parts of the highs and lows of the past decade.
“The reason we were No. 1 for so long was because we had as much success away from home as we did at home, and that’s our greatest challenge as a team.”
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