Australia have edge over world champions Proteas in Durban

The Proteas will begin their ICC World Test Championship cricket title defence against Australia at Kingsmead on Friday, with history providing a substantial warning.

SA have won only three of their 11 Tests against Australia in Durban, with the most recent triumph coming more than two decades ago in 2002.

Australia have won six of the previous 11 meetings at Kingsmead, while two encounters were drawn, giving the visitors a significant historical edge as the two sides resume their rivalry in the five-day format.

The Test, from October 9 to 13, is the opening game of a three-match series that will move along the coast to Gqeberha before concluding in Cape Town.

The second Test will be played at St George's Park from October 18-22, before Newlands plays host to the final encounter from October 27-31.

SA enter the series with some confidence after winning the ODI series 2-1, but will be well aware that while form and confidence are transferable, the rigours associated with Test cricket are not.

The Proteas won the first two matches in Durban and Johannesburg to seal the white-ball series before the Aussies claimed the rain-affected third ODI in Potchefstroom by 45 runs on the DLS method.

But the white-ball success will count for little when Temba Bavuma's side walk out at Kingsmead for the first Test.

The Proteas last donned the Test whites in November last year when they put India to the sword in a 2-0 series sweep.

Since then, a plethora of white-ball cricket, both international and franchise, has deprived fans of the longer format a chance of seeing the reigning WTC champions in action on home soil.

Head coach Shukri Conrad has repeatedly stressed the importance of the red-ball game to his plans, with the Proteas playing eight Tests during a packed home summer.

“The WTC champions count for absolutely nothing. If anything, it should just give us the belief that we can do it, but we do know that we’re going to have to put in some really hard graft over the next few months,” Conrad said in an interview with TalkSport's cricket show, Following On.

That work begins against an Australian side Bavuma’s men overcame in the World Test Championship final at Lord's last year, but one which has historically proved formidable opponents in Durban.

Conrad expects the rivalry to regain some of its old intensity once the teams cross the boundary rope.

“I think naturally both SA and the Aussies are quite aggressive in the way we want to play our cricket,” he said.

“I’d like to think that there’d be some spikes or else it wouldn’t be Australia v South Africa.”

The Proteas coach is also expecting strong home support, though he acknowledged that the atmosphere would depend on supporters turning up in numbers.

“I’m hopeful that the people will come in their droves, you know. I’m expecting that. I’d be very surprised if we didn’t play to relatively full houses.”

For Conrad, though, the immediate challenge is less about the history of Kingsmead and more about ensuring SA are properly prepared after a lengthy gap between Test assignments.

“There’s no point in bemoaning the fact that we haven’t played in almost a year,” he said.

“But yeah, we’ve just got to make sure that we prep as well as we have before and make sure we hit the ground running.”

That preparation has also been complicated by fitness concerns, with Kagiso Rabada still being assessed ahead of the opener and Tony de Zorzi ruled out of the series opener after suffering a hamstring injury in the final ODI.

Conrad, however, has made it clear that Rabada's health will not be gambled with at the start of an eight-Test stretch.

“We also need to be mindful, you know, it’s not the WTC final that starts on the 9th of October. It is the first of eight Test matches.

“So if there’s any risk, then we’ll take the conservative route.”

The Proteas will arrive at Kingsmead with recent ODI momentum, home advantage and the confidence of being reigning WTC champions — but also with a historical record that shows just how difficult Australia have been to beat in Durban.

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