Duminy is Happy with South Africa Have Spent in Australia Before The Test
Having arrived in Australia almost two weeks prior to the first Test, South African middle-order batsman JP Duminy believes that his side hasn't had a better preparation for a tour before this one. South Africa are scheduled to play two practice matches before the Perth Test including one with the pink ball under the lights in order to prepare for their first ever day-night Test in Adelaide.
"It's the best preparation we've had on any tour, to be honest," Duminy said. "I can't recall this amount of time before a Test match on any tour," he said. "We've got 10 to 14 days of training leading up to the first Test."
Thrashing Australia 5-0 in the One-Day International series at home earlier this month has boosted South Africa's confidence by Duminy's own admission but he acknowledges that there is a massive difference between the two formats. "We are coming into this series with a bit of confidence on the back of our one-day series but we understand that it's a clean slate," he said. "This is Test cricket. We are not looking at what the expectations are. We are looking to concentrate on our preparations."
Having already been part of the two previous tours to Australia, Duminy believes that he is better prepared now with more experience. The left-hander injured his heel following the first day's play of the first Test in Brisbane during the 2012 tour and it ruled him out for almost seven months. But the 2008 tour proved to be a successful one for him and for the team as he made his Test debut at the WACA and went on to register his first ton in the format in the second Test. South Africa went on to win the series 2-1.
"That first Test win we had against Australia was definitely a fond moment and it would be nice to repeat that," he said. "I was a young kid then. It was my debut Test and playing against guys like Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden was quite intimidating.
"The difference for me now, I am more established than I was then. So you're coming into a Test series like this with a little bit more confidence, a little bit more stability in your role in the team and how you play Test cricket. I think that is the difference. It's not necessarily the opposition."
"It's the best preparation we've had on any tour, to be honest," Duminy said. "I can't recall this amount of time before a Test match on any tour," he said. "We've got 10 to 14 days of training leading up to the first Test."
Thrashing Australia 5-0 in the One-Day International series at home earlier this month has boosted South Africa's confidence by Duminy's own admission but he acknowledges that there is a massive difference between the two formats. "We are coming into this series with a bit of confidence on the back of our one-day series but we understand that it's a clean slate," he said. "This is Test cricket. We are not looking at what the expectations are. We are looking to concentrate on our preparations."
Having already been part of the two previous tours to Australia, Duminy believes that he is better prepared now with more experience. The left-hander injured his heel following the first day's play of the first Test in Brisbane during the 2012 tour and it ruled him out for almost seven months. But the 2008 tour proved to be a successful one for him and for the team as he made his Test debut at the WACA and went on to register his first ton in the format in the second Test. South Africa went on to win the series 2-1.
"That first Test win we had against Australia was definitely a fond moment and it would be nice to repeat that," he said. "I was a young kid then. It was my debut Test and playing against guys like Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden was quite intimidating.
"The difference for me now, I am more established than I was then. So you're coming into a Test series like this with a little bit more confidence, a little bit more stability in your role in the team and how you play Test cricket. I think that is the difference. It's not necessarily the opposition."
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