I feel a sense of déjà vu with the upcoming Australia-South Africa series. The Channel Nine commentators, noticeably aware of the possible downturn in ratings due to New Zealand’s dire performances, reassured viewers that the Kiwis were merely an entree to the main course of the Proteas. Haven’t we heard that before?

Yep, we have.

It was the same last time South Africa toured. The West Indies were thumped three-zip in the Frank-Worrell Trophy, leading to the promise of better things to come from the Cricket Boks.

Of course, it didn’t really eventuate. The best South Africa could manage was a draw in the First Test in Perth, eventually losing the series 2-0.

This time we’re told it will be different.

Sorry to be a kill-joy, but I’m not convinced. I don’t care how many matches South Africa have won over the last eight years, they can’t play against Australia in five-day cricket.

Even taking into account their apparent whizz-bang bowling line-up and the loss of Warne and McGrath from Australia’s arsenal, I can’t see them winning on Australian turf.

It’s true that Dale Steyn is the leading wicket taker this year and, yes, the Proteas do have several batsmen amongst the top runs scorers in world cricket.

These figures are, however, inflated due to South Africa playing no less than four Test matches against Bangladesh, a fact conveniently forgotten by Tony Greig and purposely exploited by Ricky Ponting – the master of putting the pressure on the opposition in pre-match talk.

The reason why South Africa have not beaten Australia in recent times is simple - none of the experienced batsmen have EVER scored consistent runs against Australia.

In fact, only two of the current Proteas (Kallis and Prince) have scored a century against an Australian side. It’s just not good enough for a team that’s been bridesmaid for close to a decade.

The middle order lacks an aggressive player. Amla, Prince and Kallis are all accumulators of runs and rarely dominate an innings, which suits Ponting’s control tactics.

It often feels like a South African innings never takes off once Smith is out. Even Boucher seems to have gone on the defensive in his batting approach.

If South Africa are any chance, so much depends on Dale Steyn. But I believe this over reliance will cost them because Australia will play it smart. They’ll play Steyn just like they play Sri Lanka’s spin wizard Murali, offering few chances while he’s bowling and milking runs from the other bowlers.

Australia’s aggressive approach to their cricket will win out once again.

South Africa’s batting weaknesses will be exposed against consistent bowling and the gap between the two sides will be revealed.

It was with these words that vanquished New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori counselled South Africa as they embark upon the task of beating Ricky Ponting’s team on home soil for the first time, having failed on each of their four previous visits since being re-admitted to the Test arena in 1992.

Vettori’s tourists reached Australian shores with the ambition of stretching each Test out, as an earlier Kiwi side, captained by Stephen Fleming, had done successfully in fighting out a drawn three-Test series against the team led by Steve Waugh in 2001.

Instead they were defeated 2-0 in as many matches, beaten inside four days in both Brisbane and Adelaide - the sort of results the Australians have thrived upon ever since they crunched the West Indies in three days at Barbados in 1995 at the start of the series that saw them first claim the longstanding mantle of world’s best team.

“I’ve always thought if you can take a team to the fifth day then you give yourself a chance,” Vettori said.

“As soon as the results are decided earlier than that it makes it tough, particularly against a team like Australia, who play such positive cricket.

“That’ll probably be the key for South Africa, the way they’re thinking and it was certainly our thoughts leading into this Test series but we weren’t good enough to do it.”

Under Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and latterly Ponting, a large number of Australia’s Test victories have been achieved swiftly, as the natural momentum of Australian aggression carried matches to an early conclusion.

In 2001, Waugh led his team to the 3-0 retention of the Ashes in England in just 11 playing days.

By contrast, India’s 2-0 success at home earlier this month was built on more traditional lines, playing on the Australians’ reserves of patience as well as skill.

Australian coach Tim Nielsen is one man counselling caution ahead of the start of the series between the two top-ranked teams in the world, saying his personal preference remains an attack composed of three quicks and a spin bowler.

“I like our balance of having a spinner in the side, it allows us to get through some overs without being totally defensive at times as well,” Nielsen said.

“The conditions will decide that for us but personally I don’t mind the idea of playing three and one.

“I think it balances us up nicely and gives us those options if they do get partnerships going that we have something a bit different rather than just slogging away with the same style of bowling.”

At the forefront of his mind is the chastening experience of last summer’s Perth Test against India, where the Australians picked four quicks but were brought undone.

“We went there last year and played four quicks, with Shaun Tait (who was injured and losing his action) and probably would’ve liked a spinner in the end,” he said.

“The wicket wasn’t as quick or bouncy as we expected it to be.

“The balance of three quicks and a spinner, we’ve said it all the way though, even in India we said we think that’s our best balance.

“We’ve seen another spinner come out here and do a decent job, Nathan Hauritz bowled really nicely for this Test.”

Also worth noting is South Africa’s traditional preference for batting against quick bowlers - their spin blind spot was exploited time and again by Shane Warne, Stuart MacGill and even Michael Bevan.

Jason Krejza remains rightly ahead of Hauritz in the order of preference, though the condition of his sprained ankle will be assessed closer to the team’s arrival in Perth to prepare for the Proteas.

Recording an impressive 2-0 series win against New Zealand restored the universal cricketing maxim, but the real test will be against the incoming South Africans.

Despite confident sounds from the Black Caps coming into this game, it was unlikely that the now eighth ranked test team (this series loss has dropped them below the West Indies) would have either the players or the form to compete against Australia.

The second Test was summed up by the commentators: “to take advantage of Adelaide, you need either turning spinners or all out fast bowlers.” Daniel Vettori is a bowler that likes to attack in the air, not off the pitch, and New Zealand does not have the bowling arsenal to threaten Australia on their own turf.

This is in essence the difference between teams on home territory. The baggy greens swashbuckling batting order and their pace batteries are tailor made for the decks of Australia.

While the series loss in India had many crying the demise of the hegemony of Australian cricket, India – at probably their most powerful – has a team designed to compete on subcontinent pitches.

Michael Clarke – named player of the series – and Brett Lee, the man of the match in Adelaide, were far different players back at the comfort at home.

Lee, in theory the spearhead of the Australian attack, was a non entity in India, but was back to his best taking twelve wickets in the two Tests (he took only eight in four tests against India). Lee has now taken over 300 test wickets, but interestingly, is the only player in history to pass this mark without taking six wickets in an innings.

But this series has also seen the continued emergence of Mitchell Johnson, the best fast bowler in Australian colours this season.

After being the leading wicket taker in India with thirteen wickets, he led the attacks in the Trans Tasman series taking fourteen at a brilliant average of 11.

New Zealand, missing Jacob Oram and having lost players to the lucrative Indian leagues, struggled not only to take Australian wickets but also with a very inexperienced and exposed batting order. No New Zealand batsmen averages even in the late thirties, and only three times did Black Cap batsmen pass 50 runs.

Such poor returns ensured that Australia was realistically never challenged.

New Zealand must now regroup, with coach John Bracewell departing the setup. While he has been instrumental in their strong showings as a one day side, they have struggled in the five day format, not winning a test away from home against anyone but Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

Incoming coach, Englishmen Andy Moles, has an extensive background, playing for Warwickshire and Griqualand West, and scoring over 15,000 runs at first class level. But never has he been in the elite bracket.

The former Kenya and Scotland coach has strong goals, stating that he wishes to push New Zealand into the top five of the world within a year.

For Australia, a win against New Zealand must be taken into perspective.

Graeme Smith and his proteas are the second ranked team in the world, and are unbeaten in their last nine Test series.

Along with Neil McKenzie, the South African batting order of Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher will combine with South Africa’s best batsman, Jacques Kallis. Kallis.

Australia will also be exposed to pace spearhead Dale Steyn. The 2008 ICC test player of the year – who overtook Allan Donald as the fastest protea to take 100 test wickets - will enjoy the grounds of Australia.

South Africa will play three tests against Australia.

It will be number one versus number two in the world. The visitors have never beaten Australia at home since their readmission in 1991, and many believe that this will be their best chance.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has warned his side their 2-0 series win over New Zealand is only a step in the right direction and they will need to be at their “absolute best” to beat South Africa.

Cricket’s top-ranked team demolished the Black Caps by an innings and 62 runs after tea on day four of the second Test at Adelaide Oval on Monday.

Graeme Smith’s South Africans got a reminder of Australia’s pace-bowling firepower as Brett Lee took 5-105 and claimed a career-best nine wickets for the match.

The eighth-ranked Kiwis crumbled for 203 in their second innings with wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum scoring a gutsy and unbeaten 84.

McCullum’s rival gloveman Brad Haddin was man of the match for his 169 in Australia’s first innings of 535 in reply to New Zealand’s 270.

Haddin’s NSW team-mate Michael Clarke was man of the series after his 98 in Brisbane and 110 in Adelaide.

Ponting’s men will regroup in Perth mid-month in preparation for their three-Test series against No.2-ranked South Africa. The first Test starts at the WACA on December 17.

“It’s probably not our best-ever Test win,” Ponting said.

“But right at the moment coming back from (a 2-0 series loss in) India we’ll certainly take it … and head to Perth in a week-and-a-half’s time with a bit of confidence under our belts.

“They (South Africa) are a very good side.

“We have to play at our optimum. There’s no hiding that fact.

“Right through India we were a fair way below our absolute best. We have taken a step closer here to being at our best.

“We know we have to play at our absolute best if we want to win the series against South Africa.”

Ponting was enthusiastic about the challenge presented by Smith’s side.

They also have a strong pace attack led by Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini (ranked third and fourth in the world) and Morne Morkel, complemented by star all-rounder Jacques Kallis.

“They have a really good fast-bowling attack and I think four or five of their batsmen are in the top 10 runscorers for 2008,” he said.

“They are a good side and we are not kidding ourselves. We’ve got a long way to go yet if we want to stay the number one team in the world.

“Especially starting that Test in Perth, it’s always a fast-bowlers’ paradise.”

Ponting said Shane Watson, who was dropped for the Adelaide Test, could be recalled for Perth if selectors opt for an all-pace attack.

Jason Krejza, who missed the Adelaide Test with an ankle injury, remains Australia’s No.1 spinner despite Nathan Hauritz filling in and winning praise from his skipper with his 2-63 and 2-32.

“Watto has had a great game up in Brisbane this week for Queensland. He could easily slot back into the side as well if we feel conditions are going to suit,” Ponting said.

He said Andrew Symonds was doing “fine” at No.6 and was not regarded as an allrounder competing for a spot alongside Watson.

Symonds had a modest series against the Kiwis with scores of 26, 20 and 0.

“All of a sudden everyone is asking questions about him. I’m not sure why that is,” Ponting said.

AAP gab/gjw

Occasionally disturbances occurred in the peripheries of the diverse nation, occasionally they were close to ‘home’, but I never once felt insecure or threatened. Metal detectors, body searches and supermarket guards with automatic weapons become everyday artifacts to your normal routine.

Various cricket nations, from the Caribbean to the South Pacific, led by their pampered millionaires felt the disinclination to visit Pakistan to play their obsessional game or entertain the populous of the 6th largest nation in the world.

When the Indian Premier league (and its illegitimate cousin, the ICL) offered huge salaries and slim dancing girls, the players ignored the bomb blasts in Bangalore, or the multiple explosions in the public markets of Jaipur or Ahmedabad or the public disturbances in Delhi and western Bengal.

Cricket Australia chose to take multimillions of US dollars for a hastily arranged Test and one day series in India that had not been any part of the future tours program ordained by the ruling body, the ICC.

The players found points of difference to their boycott of the tour and Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Cricket Australia and those very same players were widely accused of hypocrisy. Volumes of money being the catalyst for decision making, rather than empathy and duty.

Now we have the Mumbai ‘9/11′. Heinous, deadly, evil, irrational. Nothing particularly unusual in central Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan. Despite the blinkered views of westerners only one similar and much smaller incident ever happened in Pakistan, that being the Marriott blast which supposedly targeted the President and was the mission of a single person with a truck load of explosives.

This week’s attack has forced Cricket Australia and its partners in India to ‘postpone’ the new conceptual ‘Champions League’. Yep, that’s right POSTPONE!

Australians, and I mean Australian civilians who just happened to be in 5 star international hotels, have never been killed in Pakistan, they now have been in India. The money offered to the domestic cricket teams who were to participate in the Champions League was big, nay HUGE. What is the cost in dollar terms of risk taking in the sub-continent for cricket players?

There is no doubt that in the short term, say 6-9 months, the international cricket future tours calendar will be altered to accommodate the Champions League.

There is simply too much money at stake. Test matches will be postponed or cancelled for the new golden egg to be laid.

Lets see how the Indian Premier League scheduled for next April is effected by the Mumbai attacks.

Will players be reluctant to turn up for their hundreds of thousands? Hypocrisy will most likely win the day.

The Australians will be looking to wrap-up the rest of the Kiwi innings cheaply after restricting the visitors to 6-262 after day one of the second match.

But opening batsman Aaron Remond, who top scored for the Kiwis with a fluent 83 on day one, placed a great deal of faith in Vettori and vice captain McCullum to build a decent total on day two.

“The two players we’ve got at the crease are our most experienced players,” he said of McCullum (30no) and Vettori (12no).

“They’ve played the most games and both have got hundreds under the belt. They know themselves and the boys have full confidence, the way they batted in the last session they showed that grit and patience.

“If we bring that in again tomorrow then you will reach targets like that (500).”

Australian spinner Nathan Hauritz, whose day was rendered mixed by two top order wickets and a painfully rolled ankle, said the home side were happy with day one, but needed to back-up smartly in the morning.

“To restrict them to 260 in a day, it was a really good wicket good outfield, I don’t think the ball really swung too much this morning,” he said.

“Our quicks and everyone bowled really well.

“In saying that, we’ve still got to bowl well tomorrow and get those last four wickets and bat well after that.”

While the international game will continue, he said security will be taken even more seriously.

“Cricket will go on. It doesn’t mean that we will cut any corners in making decisions,” said Sutherland on Friday.

“Everything is going to be more rigorous. That’s what we saw in the world following 9-11 and that’s what is going to come as a consequence of this.

“Even putting aside cricket issues, security issues in India and for the Indian government and the Indian armed forces, the police, (are) going to take on a completely different sphere.”

Sutherland said it was too early to assess how the terrorism strikes two days earlier would otherwise affect the game.

But he stressed that the most important considerations were safety and security.

Hauritz, 27, took five wickets on debut in Mumbai against India four years ago but then fell so far down the pecking order he was dumped by Queensland.

Even now he’s only second-choice spinner for his new state NSW behind Beau Casson, who made his Test debut earlier this year.

In a bizarre chain of events, Australia’s Jason Krezja injured his ankle at training on Wednesday and was unable to play on Friday, giving rival off-spinner Hauritz his second Test appearance.

Hauritz managed to injure himself in a fielding mishap just after tea on Friday and spent the final session icing his left ankle, but is hopeful of returning to the bowling crease on Saturday.

New Zealand won the toss and began with high hopes, reaching 1-101 at lunch.

But opener Aaron Redmond (83) and highly rated No.4 Ross Taylor (44) were the only batsmen in the top six to pass 30 after Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss on what looked a good batting strip.

Vettori will resume on 12 with Brendon McCullum on 30.

Redmond’s exit caught on the boundary was a key moment and a victory for the new Hauritz.

“Definitely after the Test (in India) my confidence … I was really high,” Hauritz said on Friday.

“(But back in Australia) I think I really got found out as a spin bowler.

“Any time I was put under the pump I didn’t really know how to react.

“The confidence did drop when I got dropped (by Queensland).

“Having the opportunity to play down in New South Wales really turned my philosophy on spin bowling around. Getting the opportunity all the time to bowl and to bowl early.

“It has taught me a lot about the craft.

“I’ve still got a lot to learn but I’m definitely a lot different bowler to what I was four years ago and it’s great to be a part of that.”

Hauritz was given another such opportunity on Friday, bowling three overs before lunch for 29 runs but fighting back to be Australia’s only multiple wicket-taker.

“It is pretty nerve-wracking to start off,” he said.

“When a batsman goes after you like that you just have to take stock and still believe in yourself that you are still going to get him out.

“There wasn’t much turn or anything like that so my greatest weapon was drift and change of pace out there.

“In the end it was a little bit slower to get him and he played the wrong shot and that’s what we were working on.

“It was a strange chain of events, being 12th man last week (for NSW) and theN being picked in this.

“It definitely took me a little while to work out what was all going on.”

The tourists lost three wickets in the middle session after Jesse Ryder (13), Redmond and Peter Fulton (29) fell to loose shots.

Redmond threw his maiden Test century away with a sweep to deep mid-wicket after hitting 14 fours and two sixes.

Taylor was lbw to Stuart Clark (1-56) soon after tea to a dubious decision by South African umpire Rudi Koertzen.

SCORE - New Zealand 6-262 make tough work of ideal conditions.

MAN OF THE MOMENT - Aaron Redmond. His 83 was the most confident Kiwi batting effort all tour yet his dismissal, swinging Nathan Hauritz into the deep when greater care would have reaped a century, summed up the visitors’ unfulfilled day.

KEY MOMENT - Ross Taylor’s demise, lbw to the slow moving finger of umpire Rudi Koertzen. To the the naked eye the ball appeared to strike him high and Hawkeye confirmed what Koertzen unaccountably failed to notice.

STAT OF THE DAY - Two. The number of Australian spin bowlers to be waylaid by a rolled ankle in the past three days.

QUOTE OF THE DAY - “It’s pretty funny. Jason rolling his ankle and myself rolling mine.” - Hauritz on his blackly comedic return to the Test side.

SUMMARY - An unblemished pitch and an uninspired Australian attack was not enough to stop New Zealand from impeding their own progress with poor shot selection. A better batting line-up, like India’s, might have finished at 4-350.

Warne and his long-time friend, former Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry, are in Singapore and were supposed to catch a connecting flight to the Indian city ahead of next week’s scheduled Champions Twenty20 League tournament.

They are now likely to return to Melbourne.

“I’m shocked, Chuck (Berry) and I got off the plane and saw the news on TV,” he told the Herald Sun website.

“It’s unbelievable, the place is chaos.

“We are heading to Mumbai and that (the Taj Mahal Palace) is the hotel we are staying at.

“I don’t think we will be going (to India) now - why would you?”

Warne was supposed to captain the Rajasthan Royals in the Twenty20 tournament and has spoken to the team owner.

He and Berry have also called their families in Australia.

Berry has a coaching role with the Royals.

“At this stage I am going to stay where I am for the rest of the day, but I reckon we are certainties to be on a flight heading home later today,” Warne said.

“It is just not worth the risk - no about of money is worth the risk with what is going on over there at the moment.”

Ponting said Tasmanian off-spinner Jason Krejza, who took a sensational 12 wickets on debut in Nagpur against India earlier in November but suffered an ankle injury at training on Wednesday, is struggling to recover in time.

The 27-year-old Hauritz’s remarkable comeback, after taking match figures of 5-103 on debut in November 2004 in Mumbai, would mean only eight Australians had returned to Test cricket after a longer stint out of the side.

What’s even more remarkable is that he’s one of several Australian spinners who are not exactly setting the world on fire at the moment and yet he is set to get a game for cricket’s top-ranked side.

Such is life without former stars Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill (both retired), Victorian leg-spinner Bryce McGain and Krejza (both injured) and NSW left-arm wrist-spinner Beau Casson and South Australian offie Dan Cullen (both out of form).

Hauritz is set to become the sixth frontline spinner to play in the baggy green since Warne’s retirement in January 2007.

Hauritz has taken six wickets at 40.66 in two Sheffield Shield matches for the Blues this season and is their second-choice spinner behind Casson, who made his Test debut in the West Indies earlier this year.

Ponting strongly defended Hauritz but added Krejza would remain Australia’s No.1 spinner.

“His form so far this season, even if his first-class stats don’t look that flash, his actual form and the way he has been bowling has impressed our selectors who have been to see him,” Ponting said of Hauritz.

“He only got in late last night and had the one session with us this morning.

“He probably was a bit surprised to get the phone call yesterday.

“I think he has already been told he was probably going to be 12th man in the next game for NSW.

“It’s a big shock for him.”

Ponting said Krejza would be given until Friday morning to prove his fitness, but was unable to train on Thursday.

Australia go into the match with a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after their 149-run win on a seam-friendly Gabba pitch.

Ponting says his three quicks, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Stuart Clark, are all in good form.

Clark, who had to fight off the challenge from Victorian quick Peter Siddle to keep his place in the 11, has struggled on flat pitches such as Adelaide.

The 33-year-old’s stunning career figures of 89 wickets at 22.34 contrast with four wickets at 46.50 in two Adelaide Tests against England and India.

“It was great to see Stuart Clark back in the wickets and back into some rhythm and bowling well,” Ponting said of Clark, who found himself dropped for the fourth Test against India in Nagpur earlier this month.

“I think if Stuart Clark is bowling at his best it doesn’t really matter what the surface is.”