England aim to exploit destabilised SA

Saturday, January 2, 2015, Cape Town
Start time 1030 local (0830 GMT)

When St George's cathedral chimed midnight more than a few South Africa cricketers will have wished goodbye and good riddance to 2015. It was a year in which their ranking as the No. 1 Test side in the world looked increasingly hollow. If a horrific tour of India could be partially explained by reference to the brazenly turning surfaces, defeat to England in Durban emphasised that their malaise runs deeper.

It is a time for strong men, and South Africa have called up the strongest of them all. Graeme Smith retired from international cricket in Cape Town at the end of the Test against Australia nearly two years ago and things have rarely felt the same since. He returns as a batting consultant for the rest of the series, but it is hard to imagine that he will be concentrating on batting technique. Smith's presence can be expected to stiffen the resolve of everybody in the South Africa camp - to address, indeed, the very frailties of morale that he identified a couple of days ago in his role as a TV pundit. That commentary role will continue, putting him in an awkward position. Such dual roles are far from ideal, even for those of high integrity and reputation.

England, by contrast, will anticipate 2016 with relish. If they succeed in South Africa - and the signs so far is that it is well within their capabilities - they have seven Tests in England next summer against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, two sides that they can expect to dominate in their own conditions, especially as Sri Lanka are debilitated by the international retirements of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and Pakistan are likely to face tensions arising from the reintegration of Mohammad Amir now that he has served his spot-fixing ban.

For now, though, all thoughts are on Cape Town. Alex Hales' task is to establish himself as a Test opener, James Anderson will want to dispel the creeping notion that with age he is becoming increasingly vulnerable to niggling injuries and if Joe Root made a cricket-based New Year's resolution it was surely to turn all those fifties in a wonderfully consistent 2015 into something even more substantial.

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLLDL
England WLLDL

Until an England opening batsman other than Alastair Cook begins to make runs in Test cricket, the spotlight remains unwavering. It fell upon Alex Hales in Durban and, after two low scores, it is not about to move. Hales is extolled as a fine T20 batsman - although, as yet, not highly enough by the IPL franchises - and he is regarded by the majority as a one-day cricketer, but in Test cricket views vary from one extreme to the other. Those who suspect his attributes for Test cricket will not have been changed their outlook after his two dismissals in Durban - a drive at a wideish one from Dale Steyn and a hit down the ground against the offspin of Dane Piedt. His technique and tempo will again come under scrutiny.

How best to bring about transformation is a perpetual discussion in South African cricket but, irrespective of quotas, Kagiso Rabada has the raw talent to forge an outstanding international career. With Steyn confirmed as unfit, and South Africa emerging from a horrendous 2015, the raw threat of a truly fast bowler playing his first Test in South Africa might be precisely what they need to dispel the despondency. Rabada took 6 for 16 on his ODI debut against Bangladesh in July and bowled a fine final over to still India - and MS Dhoni - in Kanpur. His pace has regularly gone top side of 90mph (145kph), he hits the pitch hard and he has shown excellent control for one so inexperienced. India's pitches defused him in his first three Tests, but he now has a chance to enjoy home comforts and, if he fares well on the Cape, quicker pitches lie in wait as the series progresses. There is reason for excitement at his inclusion.

James Anderson built up his workload successfully in the nets in Durban as he began his recovery from a calf strain, but England will make a final assessment on the morning of the match as to whether he should return with Chris Woakes the likely omission. Anderson bowled the equivalent of a six-over spell on the square on Wednesday morning. "My thought is you'd probably go with him, so fingers crossed he comes to us and says his body's feeling good," was the assessment of England's coach Trevor Bayliss although Alastair Cook said they would need to be careful.

England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Nick Compton, 4 Joe Root, 5 James Taylor, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Moeen Ali, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Steven Finn, 11 James Anderson/Chris Woakes

After their defeat in Durban and the loss of Steyn because of injury, South Africa replenished their squad with Quinton de Kock, Chris Morris and latterly Hardus Viljoen. De Kock is expected to keep wicket, such is the resistance of AB de Villiers to fulfilling the role once more, although the details were still under discussion the day before the match. Morris' involvement is less certain - he would need to edge out Kyle Abbott, who has a niggly hamstring, for the last seam-bowling place. Rabada's home Test debut has been confirmed and the recent heat in Cape Town makes the presence of a specialist seamer in Piedt certain.

South Africa (probable) 1 Stiaan van Zyl, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Faf du Plessis, 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Kyle Abbott/Chris Morris, 9 Dane Piedt, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Kagiso Rabada

Excessive heat in Cape Town over the last few weeks has seen the groundsman call for extra watering of the pitch. Despite that there's not much green and the locals have described it as pretty flat: Moeen Ali has cause to wonder if a second successive surface might eventually fall in his favour. Newlands is usually hard and fast on day one, good for batting on days two and three and will take some turn towards the end. Five rain-free days are expected with hot sun on the first two and some clouds coming in mid-way through the match.

"To get Graeme on board now, Graeme being the quality cricketer that he is, fits the role perfectly. Graeme has got a good know-how about Test cricket and that's what Test cricket is about. It's about know-how, having a feel for the game and we've got a lot of youngsters that can draw on that."
Hashim Amla welcomes Graeme Smith's call-up to help with South Africa's batsmen.

"The word consistency has already come up. Can we do it again? We have to be careful we don't get carried away. There were times when we didn't quite get it right in Durban and we managed to drag it back with absolute hunger and skill."
Alastair Cook, England's captain, is making no promises for Cape Town.