THE promise of firm wickets should counter England's home advantage and make their Texaco Trophy series with South Africa - which started at the Oval today - an even affair.
That's the verdict of South African spinner Corrie Jordaan who has opened the season with a burst of wickets for Rishton in the Lancashire League.
Jordaan said: ``The weather has come at the right time to make the wickets harder and quicker which will help the South African players.
``Back home the tracks are bouncy and flat and we have a lot of positive and straight hard-hitting players, especially in the one-dayers.''
The number of all-rounders in South Africa's one-day squad - such as Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis, Hansie Cronje, Craig McMillan, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher and Pat Symocx - is another factor in their favour according to both Burnley pro Anthony Botha and Jordaan, who rates the tourists as ``one of the better one-day sides in the world at the moment.''
However, England also boast an impressive history in the Texaco series and a year ago beat Australia 3-0 with three six-wicket wins as the Hollioake brothers burst onto the scene. And Jordaan reckons England's results in the West Indies should not have much bearing in the series which moves from the Oval today to Old Trafford on Saturday and Headingley on Sunday. ``England will be a force to be reckoned with, with good all-rounders and hard-hitting batsman and if South Africa can't adapt they will have problems,'' added the Eastern Transvaal left-armer.
``If they had been playing back in South Africa, South Africa would have been favourites but this will be in different conditions and different grounds. I think it will be a balanced game, a good contest and a good series.''
And Burnley professional Anthony Botha concurrs with the view that his countrymen won't have it all their own way in the three-game contest.
Botha agreed: ``South Africa are a really formidable one-day side at the moment but it will not be as easy as everyone thinks for us, even though I think we will win, simply because England are a top side at home.
``South Africa have played really well away from home in Sharjah, India and Pakistan but it is a different ball game here because the ball swings a lot more.''
And the Natal all-rounder believes England have a side to exploit the conditions.
He added: ``They have a lot of guys who can put it on the spot and move it away so it should be interesting.
``Our bowlers had problems against Australia where two or three balls an over would be on the legs and they would just flip it away for four. We need to work on getting the ball to move away from the bat.'' Apart from the proliferation of all-rounders, strength in depth in their batting and the fact that most of the South African party has some experience of English conditions, Jordaan points to the tourists' fast bowling attack as their major weapeon.
Where the West Indies once reigned supreme in the quickie stakes, Cronje's team now has a fiercesome spearhead of Allan Donald, Pollock and Klusener.
England's specialist one-day batsmen were due for the first smell of leather on what was likely to be a quick track at the Oval today.
However the real fireworks may come in the Test series which is top of the list of priorities for the South Africans - who drew here 1-1 four years ago - and their cricketing public.
Jordaan added: ``They know England is still the home of cricket. You can go on tour to Australia, the West Indies or New Zealand but every guy wants to come with the Test side to England.
``South African players have a hunger to win games. South Africa have done well so far in the Test arena but they all want to beat England on their home soil.''