Smith’s Australia eager for South Africa revenge

Australia captain Steve Smith is looking for revenge in the Test series against South Africa to continue the recent trend which has seen the tourists dominate between the sides.

“Certainly it’s a big series for us. We’ve had a lot of great contests over the years. South Africa got the better of us at home so we’d love to get them back for that one,” Smith said ahead of today’s first Test at Kingsmead in Durban.

South Africa won 2-1 in a three-Test series in Australia in November 2016, their third straight series win there.

However, Australia have a brilliant record away in South Africa, and it is an anomaly that Smith and his opposite number Faf du Plessis put down to the similar conditions in both countries.

Australia are aiming to build on a “magnificent” home summer which included a 4-0 Ashes defeat of England.

“The conditions are similar but it’s still an away tour for us. I’ve got a goal as captain to play really well away from home and start winning series, so this is a really good opportunity for us,” Smith said.

The world’s leading Test batsman, Smith said a century in tough conditions at Centurion on the tour in 2013/14 had given him the confidence that he could score runs against any bowling attack.

“The last series we played against him he was their best batter, but to some degree we did keep him quiet,” Du Plessis said. “He’s obviously a very good player but it’s similar to what I said about the Indian team. They have one or two star batsmen. If you can put pressure on them and keep them quiet it obviously reflects how the series will go.”

Du Plessis said no pressure had been put on groundsmen to prepare pitches to help the South Africans following the controversy that marred the recent series win over India.

“I think I learned my lesson from that,” he said. “Australia and South Africa are very similar teams and they play in similar conditions.

“We’ll play on what we get. We’ve asked for nothing.”

It seems likely that South Africa will switch from the policy of four specialist fast bowlers that was used against India, with an extra batsman likely to be picked.