South Africa vs. England: Is Lords a Happy Hunting Ground for Visitors?

July 2, 1935 marks the date South Africa claimed not only their first ever test win at Lords, the "Home of Cricket," but their first ever test match win over the Lions of England.

Since readmission in 1992, South Africa has never lost a test match at Lords in three occasions, leaving all question marks and uncertainties to be directed at England, wondering how they are going to perform.  

But how things have changed over the last 73 years, let alone the last decade and a half. How the spirit of the gentleman's game has faded into the "win at all costs" debacle.

Even with the introduction of technology and the availability of all camera angles, Hawk-Eye, and even heat detection cameras, losing face has not seemed to be an issue facing international cricketers (barring one Adam Gilchrist).

With a side needing to take 14 or 15 wickets to win a match, for players obstructing each other in taking wickets, the spirit has certainly gone.

But that is for another day...

South Africa are currently going into this test match as favourites over the home side England, with odds of 7/4 against 10/3. I personally think South Africa have the edge, but patriots be wary. There are many players and many factors that could tip this test match to ending in a draw, or one very emphatic victory for either team.

South Africa are going in with probably the most inexperienced, yet devastating bowling attack we have seen since the Allan Donald, Brett Schultz, and Shaun Pollock era. I really think with the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, and Jaques Kallis, the Proteas really have a chance to take 20 wickets in this test match.

I personally don't think of Paul Harris as being much of a threat to the English batting lineup. I really don't think there is any space left in the game for finger spinners, and that wrist spinners are the only way forward.

I would have gone with Johan Botha. He is someone who mixes it up with pace and spin, is able to flight the ball, and has the ability to bowl the emphatic "doosra."

Mind you, if Ashley Giles were a regular in the English lineup, then we might just be in with a chance to hold at least one end up with Harris. You're probably thinking, what about someone like Daniel Vettori or Monty Panesar, both classic off-break finger spinners?

Okay, granted, I totally agree. Vettori turned the heck out of the English team, but he is currently the best spinner after Muralitharan.

As for Monty, I think he could join with Vettori in time to revive the art of finger spinning. Considering Monty's exuberant victory runs after taking a wicket, I think even he is impressed that he was able to claim a scalp or two.

For the English team, I am personally worried about Sidebottom and the great form that Jimmy Anderson is currently in. With South Africa not having any top left handed quick bowlers in their starting lineup (I think there are three currently in the First Class setup), I would be very wary of the amount of bounce and seam the big hairy left-handed quick of England is achieving.

With Anderson swinging the ball both ways, getting good kick off the deck, and totally ripping through the New Zealand batting lineup, he is a cause for concerned for South Africa. Yet what Anderson is achieving gives someone like Dale Steyn great hope.

They have very similar actions, and both have had the opportunity to be coached by Allan Donald. I think they both have the ability to make high in roads into their oppositions' innings.

I see it very evenly matched if we put the bowlers up against each other going into this match. I see it as pretty even with Anderson and Steyn, with Steyn maybe having the slight edge only because of pace. I'll put Stuart Broad up against Morne Morkel, and say that Morkel has the edge.

Even though both have great height and good bounce, Morkel has got the pace that could unsettle the likes of Alaistar Cook or Paul Collingwood. With Sidebottom up against Ntini, I would say it's evenly matched—mainly because they are two very different bowlers.

As I explained earlier, Sidebottom is a threat if he achieves the seam and swing he has been generating. And Ntini, who can achieve just as much swing going across the left handers, has also taken 10 wickets on this very same ground last tour round.

Monty definitely has the edge and ability over Harris. Kallis has the hard hitting balls that would advance him over the likes of Collingwood.  

Let's go to the batsmen...

Graeme Smith needs to fire. Enough said. If Smith scores runs, South Africa are in with a massive chance. He conquered there last time with a double hundred, followed by another one at the Oval. But if Smith can find form and pile on the runs, he could captain his side on a solid base that could put them in a match-winning situation.

With McKenzie being one of the more experienced players on the team, and his "never say die" attitude, England are going to have to throw a lot to unnerve the passion this guy has when he plays for his country.

Kallis and Amla are both in fine form, and have been the rocks South Africa have relied on for the last two years. This being their biggest task, and with Australia in sight at the end of the year, scoring runs away from home is going to be their biggest test now.

De Villiers, Prince, and Boucher make up the solid middle order. If the top four don't pull through, South Africa will hope that these three can revive and bring their team to a suitable total.

With De Villiers' flamboyant stroke making, Prince's unnerving temperament, and Boucher's underrated ability to wield the willow, these three make up the solid middle order—something that has been lacking in South African cricket for some time.

With the likes of Martin Van Jaarsveld, Jacque Rudolf, and Boeta Dippenaar, all of whom have played roles in this uncertain middle order, finally South Africa have solid batsmen from 3-7 who can build and sustain match-winning innings.

England's openers Strauss and Cook have been a solid opening pair for England in the last two years, something South Africa hasn't had for some time. With Strauss' ability to rip apart a South African bowling attack, as he did when the English toured South Africa in 2004, he is going to be one of the main targets in this series.

Cook has good temperament and perfect technique. He will prove to be a silent assassin in England's batting lineup. Vaughan has been in very erratic form of late, but has scored six 100s in his 11 innings at Lords. This is something I'm sure the South Africans won't leave unnoticed.

Vaughan will be weary of Steyn, as he is someone who has claimed the scalp of many a No. 3 batsman, especially Vaughan with absolute "jaffers" in England's last trip to South Africa.

Kevin Pieterson. A sentence on its own. His first test series against his former home country, and someone who will be absolutely devastating to the Proteas bowling attack. He is in fine form with his ravish stroke play and the ability to get on top of any bowler. He is for me the key wicket in England's batting lineup.

There is always conflict when the two teams clash, and KP won't be one to stand down to any verbal battle on the field.

Ian Bell is in the form of his life, and wow, he is playing great cricket at the moment. He never really impressed me when he first came on the scene in his first test series against the Ashes rivals, but he has become a batsman who has cemented his spot in the English middle order.

I think he will go unnoticed because of the hype around Pieterson, but will pile on the runs this series, and will be up there with the leading run scorers at the end of it.

Collingwood is entering this test match surrounded by controversy, and it will be interesting to see how he copes under the pressure of South African pace attack. He's not one to stand down to any onslaught, and could be the one who holds the innings together with Tim Ambrose.

Ambrose, someone who is still relatively new on the scene, does have a test century under his belt (against New Zealand), but won't be a threat to the South African bowlers.

In order to win this test match, both teams will need all their players to really prove their place in their side. For South Africa, Smith and Steyn need to fire if they want to be in with a chance, and England will need Pieterson and Sidebottom.

I see Sidebottom being the biggest threat to the South Africans because of the above mentioned. Steyn has taken five wickets against India in India, and this will be a test to prove that he is one of the greatest South African bowlers since readmission.

Smith and Pieterson will be playing mind games against each other, with the victor being the one who can keep his cool. It is going to be an epic battle. 

Home team advantage? England has not beaten South Africa at Lords for many years, and they haven't beaten Australia there for over 40. It will be something the visitiors won't let the home team forget.

South Africa, aiming to carry on their successful season so far, look at dominating the English summer and completely outpacing the English batsmen to nothingness.

England, on the other hand, are coming in with a setlled side which, though very inexperienced against South Africa, have pulled off good test series wins in the last year against top teams such as India and New Zealand.

Yet after seeing the latest weather report and seeing that showers are predicted for every day of the test match, a draw immediately seems on the cards.

BUT funnier things have happened in cricket, and millions will be glued to their television screens for the next five days. Excitement fills the mind, and these next 15 hours could not come any more slowly!

It will not be a series that will be completely one-sided, but one that will be closely contested, with results going either way. I'm going to call a draw for this test match, because of the reported weather conditions, but not to be an egg on the wall, I'm going to call a win result for the Proteas. Patriotic I may be, but watch out for the English.

It is going to be epic...