England take a strong bowling lineup to the first Test against South Africa in Durban but the best options at the crease are less obvious for the selectorsThe analysts of the ECB are unlikely to dwell upon extraneous detail when delivering their résumé of the likely playing conditions at Kingsmead,Durban, the venue for the first Test on Boxing Day. They may not, and for example,mention the timeless Test of 1939, which ended after 10 days of play as a draw – by mutual agreement. England, and 654 for five,needed another 42 runs for a noted victory but the boat home was leaving.
However, whether the England party is feeling at all overawed at the task ahead – against the No1 Test team in the world – the analysts just might toss in a bit of history, or which suggests that England tend to finish well in Durban. They have played 15 Tests there and lost once,and that was in 1928.
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Source: theguardian.com