Both sides, South Africa and Pakistan, go into the three-Test series with series wins under their belt, against India and West Indies respectively. Not surprisingly, South Africa have the edge both home and away, including an away-series win back in 1997. Pakistan have had limited success in South Africa, starting from their first tour in 1994-95, losing the one-off Test. South Africa's reputation at home took a pounding when they hosted Pakistan in 1997-98, losing a closely-fought second Test at Durban, noted for the individual performances of Azhar Mahmood and Mushtaq Ahmed. Unfortunately, the purple patch ended there for Pakistan with a 259-run defeat in the decider at Port Elizabeth, followed by a 0-2 whitewash in their third tour in 2002-03. Beating South Africa at home takes plenty of application and more importantly, consistency, and Pakistan will need to ensure they don't let things slip, as India just discovered after the highs of Wanderers 2006.
Pakistan's 17-member squad contains six fast bowlers and just one spinner - a lopsided composition, but also suggestive of where their strengths lie. In 11 Tests between the two teams, their seamers have accounted for 90 wickets while the spinners have chipped in with 66. In South Africa, the record is similar, with the seamers taking 57 wickets while the spinners have only 23 scalps. The return of genuine swing bowlers in Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar and the encouraging form of Shahid Nazir and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan is a luxury to be exploited for Pakistan, fitness permitting.
On paper, the series promises to be a contest between Pakistan's bowlers and South Africa's resourceful batting line-up. The batting records of South Africa's big guns - Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis - against Pakistan all make for good reading. Gibbs has tormented them the most with an overall average of 67.42, but the number shoots to 89.33 at home. His rollicking 228 at Cape Town four years ago was at that time the second-fastest Test double century. Smith's average is just a shade over 48 while Kallis has a decent 38 in eight Tests. Interestingly, Shaun Pollock is a step above Kallis in this department, averaging 42.81. Mark Boucher is not one to be underestimated, as he has scored four of his five half-centuries against Pakistan at home. Boucher is approaching the landmark of 100 Tests and the world record for most catches by a wicketkeeper.
As has been the case in previous tours, the form and patience of the Pakistan batsmen will be put to Test, with the line-up weakened by the absence of Mohammad Yousuf for the first Test. Inzamam-ul-Haq averages 33 in nine Tests against South Africa, but in five away Tests, the figure slips to 27.44. Younis Khan was inconsistent in the two-Test series of 2002-03 while Mohammad Yousuf has come a cropper in four Tests against them, averaging just 16.85.
Among the current crop of bowlers, Makhaya Ntini has the best bowling record at Centurion, with 37 wickets in Tests at just 18.89 apiece. Pollock and Kallis have 23 wickets each, and their batting figures at this ground complement their bowling stats. Kallis averages 56.50 in ten Tests while Pollock has an average of over 42, including a century.
A look at the toss history at Centurion shows that teams seem more inclined to field first after calling correctly. In 11 games, captains have put the opposition in nine times, of which four have resulted in victories.
South Africa have an enviable record at Centurion, with eight wins in 11 Tests. Their only defeat came in the controversial fifth Test against England in 2000, in which both captains agreed to forfeit an innings each to force a result. This will be Pakistan's first Test at this venue.