Chipper Dale

Benedict Bermange sets down the stats as South Africa and England start the series at Centurion...

Some pointers for Day One of the first Test at Centurion Park

Short on stats? Then don't worry because Benedict's back and he's unearthed some crackers ahead of England's tour of South Africa. But don't take our word for it! Dive in to the delights offered up on Day One of the first Test at Centurion Park...

Head-to-head

It has been very close between South Africa and England since the Proteas' readmission to the Test ranks. In 32 Tests, South Africa hold a narrow 10-9 lead with 13 draws. The last 17 Tests played on South African soil have all ended in positive results. The last draw was at Newlands in Apil 2006 when both New Zealand and South Africa scored more than 500 in their first innings. South Africa have a superb record at Centurion with only one defeat in their 14 Tests at the venue, of which they have won 11. That defeat was to England - in the infamous 'forfeiture' match in January 2000.

Altitude alterations

A six hit just over a 240-foot boundary in the thinner air on the Highveld at Centurion will travel approximately 15 feet further than the same shot hit at a ground located on the coast such as Kingsmead, Durban or Newlands, Cape Town! For comparison, the highest county ground above sea level in England is Edgbaston, which sits at a mere 367 feet above sea level. However, it is the home ground of Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell, so they may be able to cope better at the altitude of Centurion than the others!

Steyn-less record

Dale Steyn is currently rated the number onebowler in the world - with a healthy lead over second-placed Mitchell Johnson. Steyn's strike rate is the best of all the 82 bowlers who have taken at least 150 Test wickets, but he has the worst economy rate of the lot!

Name	Team	Wkts	SR	Name	Team	Wkts	RPO
Dale Steyn	SA	170	39.27	Dale Steyn	SA	170	3.62
Sydney Barnes	Eng	189	41.65	Brett Lee	Aus	310	3.46
Waqar Younis	Pak	373	43.49	Chris Martin	NZ	174	3.40
Shoaib Akhtar	Pak	178	45.74	Shoaib Akhtar	Pak	178	3.37
Malcom Marshall	WI	376	46.76	Darren Gough	Eng	229	3.30

Home comforts

Jonathan Trott and Matt Prior will try to join the five England batsmen who have scored centuries against the country of their birth:
Colin Cowdrey (v India) - 160 (1959), 107 (1964), 151 (1964)
Nasser Hussain (v India) - 128 (1996), 107* (1996), 155 (2002), 110 (2002)
Graeme Hick (v Zimbabwe) - 101 (2000)
Andrew Strauss (v South Africa) - 126 (2004), 136 (2004), 147 (2005)
Kevin Pietersen (v South Africa) - 152 (2008), 100 (2008)

Born skippers

Strauss is one of 18 men to have captained England having been born outside the country. South Africa have only had three Test captains born outside South Africa - all in England: Ernest Halliwell (Ealing, Middx), William Milton (Little Marlow, Bucks) and Frank Mitchell (Market Weighton, Yorkshire).

Glee at three

Trott will bat at number three for England, not Ian Bell who has failed to score a century in 33 innings in that position. Only Zimbabwe's Alistair Campbell has faired worse - with 36 innings.

Ntini's century

Makhaya Ntini will become the 49th man to play 100 Tests for his country and just the fifth from South Africa - following Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock and Gary Kirsten. Of those 49, only eight have been fast bowlers: Walsh, Kallis, Kapil Dev, McGrath, Vaas, Wasim Akram, Pollock and Botham. Ntini has also been hit for more sixes than any other fast bowler in Test history - 62 - a long way ahead of Chris Martin who has conceded 38.