Vaughan - Captains hold key

Strauss-Smith battle will prove decisive, says Vaughan

By Joe Drabble   Last updated: 2nd December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Vaughan - Captains hold key

Strauss: Key man

The Test series will be interesting. It will come down to which team will win the key moments

Michael Vaughan
Quotes of the week

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
South Africa v England
WATCH every ball live on Sky Sports from December 16

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes opposing captains Graeme Smith and Andrew Strauss hold the key in the forthcoming Test series in South Africa.

With seemingly little between England and South Africa in terms of ability, Vaughan has highlighted the battle between the two left-handed openers as potentially decisive.

Both players will open the batting for their respective countries during the four-Test series, which gets underway at Centurion on December 16.

As well as the importance of their runs up top, Vaughan also believes their tactical astuteness will be crucial throughout the course of the series.

Shrewd

"The Test series will be interesting. It will come down to which team will win the key moments," said Vaughan, who retired as England captain midway through the previous Test series between the sides.

"In fact, it may come down to the captains, which of them can get the most runs and which of them can be shrewdest in their decision-making in the field."

South Africa have risen to number one in the Test rankings following impressive touring victories in both England and Australia.

Instrumental to those wins was the aggressive fast-bowling unit led by Dale Steyn, however the 26-year-old paceman has struggled to replicate that form during the ongoing ODI series.

However, despite the threat of Steyn - who took 34 wickets in six Tests against Australia last winter - Vaughan believes England have greater potency with the ball.

"I think our attack has more wickets in it than theirs does," he said.

"I see Steyn and think 'yes, he's dangerous' but you can prepare against him.

Erratic

"There's nothing that the South Africans will throw at you that will surprise you. They aren't going to do anything that's unusual.

"There is no mystery to their attack and by the same token neither is there to ours.

"But James Anderson is really developing as an international bowler and his ability to swing the ball both in and out will hopefully have Smith moving around that crease."

Before the Test series begins, England have the opportunity to become only the second country after Australia to win a one-day series in South Africa at Durban on Friday.

England lead a series in which they have been wildly erratic 2-1, and Vaughan admits the Kingsmead decider could do either way.

"We are consistent at being inconsistent," reflected Vaughan. "We have probably got it in us to go and get hammered in Durban."