West Indies v South Africa - Series Preview

There has been great anticipation in the Caribbean leading up to the visit of the Springboks, and this battle between two true cricketing heavyweights has the potential to produce some great entertainment over the course of the five Tests. Both sides enter this series with recent victories over Australia under their belts, and South Africa have the possibility of taking over at the top of the ATG rankings with a comprehensive series win here.

West Indies seem to be settling down under Garry Sobers' captaincy, and they will have two scores to settle in the upcoming weeks: their last home series was the 4-0 drubbing inflicted by Pakistan, and on the previous occasion that these two sides met, the Springboks ran out comfortable 3-1 winners in South Africa. West Indies will be looking to exorcise both these ghosts, and they look to be running into the necessary form to be able to do just that.

South Africa are led once again by Trevor Goddard, captain in all of the Springboks' 44 ATG Tests to date, and their squad contains no surprises. The likes of Procter, Donald, Peter Pollock, Adcock and Heine should relish bowling in the Caribbean, although Graeme Pollock and co. should receive a stern test from the home bowling attack. All in all it should be a highly competitive series, and one where it is not easy to pick a winner ahead of time.

South Africa squad
TL Goddard (c), AD Nourse (v/c), NAT Adcock, DJ Cullinan, AA Donald, PS Heine, DT Lindsay, NBF Mann, B Mitchell, PM Pollock, RG Pollock, MJ Procter, JN Rhodes, BA Richards, HJ Tayfield, JHB Waite.