The rivalry between Australia and South Africa takes centre stage this week as the two nations' Test teams meet in Durban on Friday for the opening match of a three-Test series. The encounter carries added weight given the fraught history between the sides, with the shadow of 'Sandpapergate' still looming over proceedings more than six years after the scandal that shook international cricket.
Australia's last visit to South Africa came in March 2018, when the ball-tampering incident unfolded during the Cape Town Test. Cameron Bancroft was caught on television using a piece of sandpaper to alter the ball's condition, an act that triggered one of the sport's most damaging controversies. According to Cricket Australia's investigation, David Warner was chiefly responsible for developing the plan, Steve Smith knew about it and failed to prevent it, and Bancroft carried it out while attempting to conceal his actions. That series ended in a 3-1 victory for South Africa.
The consequences were severe. Bancroft received a nine-month suspension from Cricket Australia, whilst Smith and Warner, then captain and vice-captain respectively, each faced 12-month bans for their involvement and prior knowledge of the scheme.
Since that turbulent tour, Australia have not returned to South African soil for a Test series. A proposed trip in early 2021 was shelved due to the pandemic, leaving an eight-year gap between visits. Now, with both nations ranked among the world's elite in Test cricket, the resumption of this fixture carries considerable significance.
South Africa have made their mark on the international stage in the intervening years. Most notably, they claimed the World Test Championship title by defeating Australia at Lord's last summer, a triumph that has reinvigorated interest in Test cricket within the country. The mace awarded to the champions will be on display throughout the upcoming series.
Reflecting on the impending contest, former South Africa bowler Shaun Pollock spoke to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast about the significance of facing Australia once more.
I wasn't on air at the time, but I can remember when it came out and the major impact that it had. We were getting messages from back home of people going, 'I can't believe this has happened'. For the next hour or two, whatever happened on the cricket field was kind of irrelevant to everything that was going on. We knew there was trouble brewing.
Pollock believes the Australia series holds greater appeal for South African supporters than the upcoming three-Test tour by England, which begins in December.
There's definitely something special about the Australia series. There's obviously some wonderful history between South Africa and England, and we'll thoroughly enjoy that series too - I know the Barmy Army are coming out - but I think it's Australia [if fans had to choose], to be brutally honest.
The World Test Championship victory has created momentum that Pollock expects to carry through both series.
The World Test Championship win has definitely created a bigger appetite for Test cricket in South Africa. That's been a real plus for us, and I'm sure the mace will be paraded around all the venues, considering it is Australia that we play.
What to expect from the atmosphere
The question of how Australian players will be received in South Africa remains pertinent. Pollock anticipates that whilst there will be reminders of the 2018 scandal, the reception is unlikely to be overtly hostile.
What will their reception be? I don't think it'll be overly hostile. The coverage over here, there's been quite a few replays of the [2018] series over the last few weeks, just to sort of create a bit of animosity, I suppose. But when you play against Australia, people in South Africa won't need a reason to, I don't know, write a billboard or have a go at them about some particular reason. I'm sure there'll be a few people coming dressed up in accordance with Sandpapergate. I'm sure there'll be some continual reminding of it. But I don't think it'll be over the top or too intense.
Pollock's predictions and Australia's batting concerns
Looking ahead to both series, Pollock is predicting South Africa will emerge victorious 2-1 against both Australia and England. His confidence stems partly from concerns about Australia's batting lineup, which he views as a significant vulnerability.
Australia's batting would be a concern for me. I watched the one-day series and they didn't play spin that well at all, and that might even tempt South Africa to play two spinners in the first Test. And there's obviously a lot of talk in circles about should Marnus [Labuschagne] be there or should this guy be there? It's not settled. Think back to the days we played, there were guys queuing up for an opportunity, and they only got a chance where there was injury. Whereas now it's a case of kind of throwing all the balls up in the air. I just think they're very unsettled. They rely massively on Steve Smith and Travis Head, in particular.
Labuschagne's form has been a particular point of discussion, with the batter struggling to find consistency at the highest level. According to recent reports, Labuschagne has gone 43 innings without a Test century, a drought spanning over three years that raises questions about his place in the side.
The broader context of Australia's tour includes a limited-overs component as well. According to the tour schedule, the visiting team has already contested three ODIs against South Africa, with the series beginning on 24 September. Australia demonstrated their capability in the shorter format by securing victory in the third ODI at Potchefstroom on 30 September, winning by 45 runs under the DLS method.
The Test series schedule
The three-Test series will unfold across the month of October. The opening encounter takes place at Kingsmead in Durban from 9 to 13 October, followed by the second Test at St George's Park in Gqeberha from 18 to 22 October, and concluding with the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town from 27 to 31 October.
The first Test begins on Friday with live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket, with play commencing at 8.30am local time.
