South Africa, and their bowlers in particular, will be feeling the heat as they try and bounce back from a first Test defeat against Australia on Friday.
Proteas need to bounce back into series in search of number one spot
South Africa, and their bowlers in particular, will be feeling the heat as they try and bounce back from a first Test defeat against Australia on Friday.
A quick turnaround in the series sees the second Test start in Durban hot on the heels of Australia's 162-run victory in Johannesburg.
Proteas skipper Graeme Smith blamed his bowlers for the defeat, for their lack of accuracy throughout the Test match, especially when allowing Australia to escape for a struggling position to get 466 runs in the first innings.
The home side now need to win the remaining two Tests to overhaul the Aussies as the International Cricket Council's Test champions.
South Africa have been here before, however, coming from one down to win three-match series against both India and West Indies in their last two home contests.
Australia will be a tougher nut to crack though, after they arrived still stinging from the home series defeat by the Proteas, and they have now taken the ascendancy in the series.
Tough talking
Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has revealed that there were some series discussions in the Wanderers dressing room after the last game.
"We spoke for more than an hour about how we had performed as a team and how we had performed as individuals," said Boucher.
"Maybe we didn't stick to our game plans when we saw the ball flying around. You could say that we tried to bowl too many million-dollar deliveries instead of building pressure like we did Down Under."
The Kingsmead pitch normally favours pace, and Australia will field an unchanged line-up, without including a specialist spinner, should there be no injuries.
Paceman Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus, who backed up Mitchell Johnson superbly in Johannesburg, have foot and back problems respectively and may struggle to make the three-day turnaround.
Doug Bollinger missed out on the first Test and was then injured in practice, so Tasmanian Brett Geeves and Steve Magoffin of Western Australia have both been called up, and they could battle for a place should injuries prevail.
South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Albie Morkel.
Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Simon Katich, Phil Hughes, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin, Andrew McDonald, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brett Geeves, Steve Magoffin, Nathan Hauritz and Bryce McGain.
