Best of the best to face off
THE two best bowling attacks in cricket going head to head on “spiced-up” pitches could spell nightmares for Australian and South African batsmen when the first Test starts in Durban on Thursday night.
But Australian coach Darren Lehmann is unconcerned about the wicket at Kingsmead, saying his Ashes-winning team is confident of getting the job done.
The standard of pitches was a sore point in the Proteas’ 2-1 Test series win against India last month. The third Test wicket at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg was rated “poor” by the match referee.
That game was nearly cancelled after day three because of the dangerous nature of the pitch amid claims Proteas officials were having too much say in how wickets would be prepared.
Fast bowlers dominated the series, taking 106 of the 114 wickets to fall.
That’s likely to be the case again in this four-Test series.
Australia’s pacemen Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are fresh from obliterating England in the Ashes.
South Africa’s attack, headlined by Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander, is set to shine even without veteran quick Dale Steyn, who remains sidelined with a heel injury.
Proteas coach Ottis Gibson said on the weekend team officials would have no input on the pitch in Durban and he would “see what we get”.
But Lehmann said he wouldn’t mind whatever wicket was served up.