Johannesburg - It is known as the bullring, raucous and rowdy and the so-called premier venue in the country. Now the Wanderers is starting to earn the reputation of being South Africa's Edgbaston where Tests are over in three days, the hosts easy victors (if they win the toss and get the opposition in) and the tour coffers take a pounding as well.

England, forced to walk the plank most of this match went down after a 70 minutes battle of defiance on Sunday scoring 260 with Andrew Caddick's highest Test innings of 48.

The last two Tests at the Wanderers have ended around lunch on day four, and rain heavily affecting both matches in terms of lost hours.

Which begs the question, considering the erratic November weather patterns, about the Wanderers viability as the opening venue for any future major tour.

It was the same with the West Indies last summer. England's captain Nasser Hussain said he had made a written report on the pitch but declined to say whether it was critical of the Wanderers surface.

He did not want it to be seen, however, as an excuse for what had been a "very, very good performance by the South Africans". As England last night attempted to pick up the pieces of what amounted to defeat in three-days before lunch yesterday, South Africa announced an unchanged squad for the second Test in Port Elizabeth, starting Thursday week.

Which does not come as too much of a surprise although to their credit Mornantau Hayward has been added to the squad this time, not placed on standby as cover for Allan Donald. It suggests South Africa are hoping the St George's Park surface will be as juicy in terms of pace and bounce as we have seen in the last three Tests played at the oldest venue in the country.

Rushdi Magiet (his preferred spelling), convener of the national selectors, yesterday said the idea of including the young Port Elizabeth fast bowler, whose efforts to put highlights in his hair went badly awry, was to "cover all eventualities".

Although the news that Jacques Kallis may be fit to bowl in Port Elizabeth and now make David Terbrugge and Hayward surplus requirements, the extra net bowlers will no doubt come in handy.

The way South Africa's coach Graham Ford put it yesterday, however, Kallis is moving a lot more comfortable.

Whether Kallis was ready to bowl, thoug, depended on the medical advice. Known as the man with the golden touch since he took over from Bob Woolmer with three Test victories by an innings and a record fourth looming in the Port Elizabeth Test, along with the success in the limited-overs slogs in Kenya back in September, Ford's opinion needs to be taken seriously as he works closely with all the players. It places him in the ideal position to know of their aches and pains.

"He was moving a lot more freely when batting and when he was fielding. But we will have to wait and see," said Ford.

The victory by an innings and 21 runs came several hours after Australia beat Pakistan by a similar margin in Perth.

South Africa now have an enviable record this year of winning six of the eight Tests they have played since Newlands in January. Two of the eight, against New Zealand, were drawn: one on the Eden Park glue pot where Daryll Cullinan scored his record 275 not out and the other in Christchurch where there were large dollops of rain.

What has also been impressive is that they have scored 400 plus in their last three innings and put the opposition under pressure.

Even that rag tag Barmy Army bunch failed to turn out on Sunday to watch the final rites as Pollock added two second innings wickets to his tally to take eight for the match and Paul Adams his first wicket of the series. No doubt the Barmy Army were still nursing their collective hangover from Saturday night's binge in their Rosebank and Sandton hotels where most have congregated.

Squad: Hansie Cronje (capt), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Allan Donald, Paul Adams, David Terbrugge, Mornantau Hayward; 12th man: Boeta Dippenaar.