Key test for SA as Barmy Army comes to town

Ahead of the test series, analyses SA and England’s relative strengths on and off the field

TOUCH OF THE SUN: England’s barmy army below the players’ balcony after England’s victory over South Africa by an innings and 98 runs on day five of the second test at Kingsmead Stadium in 2009

THERE is a lot at stake for South Africa in the test series against England. The public were very disappointed with performances in India recently, where they lost 3-0 and would have been whitewashed had it not rained in Bangalore, but the issues go deeper than one series defeat.

There is a lot of discussion within South African sport about the impact of transformation. Quota systems in rugby and cricket have caused a lot of soul-searching, with some questioning whether these have taken precedence over talent.

In domestic cricket, teams have to pick at least six non-white players, including three black Africans. At international level, the aim is for South Africa to have at least four non-white players in the team.

Clearly something has to be done to promote the sport. Only seven of the 87 players picked by South Africa since readmission have been black Africans. The game has to be made attractive and open to all.

But if South Africa lose this series to England there will be lots of questions about whether they are on the right path.

Crowds are down in South Africa. Cricket needs the national team to win at home, so there are a few issues that England can use to their advantage and why I say this is a huge series for cricket in South Africa.

The great news for England is that they are starting in Durban. England have not lost a test at Kingsmead since 1928 and we won there by an innings in 2009.

South Africa have never enjoyed the Boxing Day test experience in Durban and have shifted the fixture in recent years, but it is back to cash in on the holiday crowds and the many England fans who will be travelling to watch the series.

They have a big role to play. This series will feel like playing in Barbados, where the majority of the fans are English. It is a home game for Alastair Cook’s team.

The rand is very weak to the pound. A friend of mine works for South African Breweries and they are laying on extra drink at the grounds and the Barmy Army pubs in anticipation of the English being in town. England fans will feel like they are eating and drinking for free so the atmosphere should be very good for the England players, which will help ease some of the intensity they will feel on the field.

Not that long ago I feared we would lose easily. But now it is too close to call. The two teams mirror each other.

South Africa will rely on two big fish in Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. The rest of the batters have much to prove. But it is the same for England. Their big fish are Cook and Joe Root.

Nick Compton is back in the side trying to rebuild a career, Alex Hales is untried in test cricket and James Taylor has never played in such bouncy, quick conditions.

It could go either way because one good spell of bowling to that South African top order from Stuart Broad or James Anderson could win a test in a session. But so could Dale Steyn against England’s fragile line-up. It is going to be a tale of the bowlers.

The lengths to bowl are shorter in South Africa than in England. England bowlers look to pitch it up and get it swinging but in South Africa hitting the top of the stumps is key. Reverse swing is massive. Looking after the ball is key, as is building pressure by not letting them score. Frustrate South Africa. STEADY DOES IT: Hashim Amla quietly reaches 40 without you noticing, says Kevin Pietersen CRICKET WHITES: The Durban test ‘will be a home game for England’s Alastair Cook’

This South African series will feel like playing in Barbados, where the majority of the fans are English

Losing stalwarts Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis has put pressure on De Villiers and Amla. The way they have handled it has been amazing. AB is in a league of his own, the best batsman in the series. He is a freak. He plays 360° of the field and knows where he wants to score. Most importantly, he plays situations well. In Delhi he faced 297 balls and batted for nearly six hours for 43 runs. So he can play defensively when he wants but can also turn it on and destroy a team very quickly.

Amla is a quiet guy and unassuming at the wicket. He is the kind of batsman who somehow reaches 40 without you noticing. Then a bit later he is on 70. He never gets tired. He bats at one pace and is just a cool and calm presence. The heat of battle can grind you down, but not Hash. If he bats for a long time, South Africa will win.

Outright pace is not a big thing in international cricket anymore. It is the different types of fast bowling that make it hard. Steyn bowls full away swing while Morne Morkel just constantly bangs out the right length. You know with the new ball Steyn will try to bowl full but I think he is quicker and better with the older ball. He bowls faster and tries to get it reverse swinging with a lot of fire and oomph. The red mist can come down. Steyn is always fired up and has a competitive edge.

A lot of South Africans wish Morkel had half Steyn’s aggression. Not many of Morkel’s balls hit the stumps so you can afford to leave him a lot more than Steyn.

Touring South Africa is an easy job. The time zone is pretty similar to the UK’s so there are never any issues with jetlag or keeping in touch with home. Your travel days are simple, the airlines and hotels are well run. The food and hospitality are amazing, but the hard part is on the field. — ©