BLOEMFONTEIN (South Africa), Nov 2: India, frustrated by rain and lack of match practice, face an uphill struggle when they take on South Africa in the first Test at Springbok Park here Saturday.

The Indians arrived in the central South African city Thursday after a scheduled three-day match against a South African Board President’s XI in Chatsworth, near the east coast city of Durban, was cancelled because of a water-logged field.

They will have to go into the first of three Tests with at least two players who have not played a match in South Africa.

Opening batsman Connor Williams, wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe and left-arm fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra arrived in South Africa last week to bolster the squad that played in a triangular one-day series.

Williams and at least one of the new fast bowlers are likely to be picked for the Test.

India have not played a first-class match since their Test series in Sri Lanka in September, with South Africa in a similar position, having played against Zimbabwe, also in September.

The South Africans have the advantage of playing in familiar circumstances, and with their strength in fast bowling and would have preferred to tackle the Indians on a more lively pitch than is the norm in Bloemfontein.

The Springbok Park pitch is usually slow-paced and batsman-friendly, although recent heavy rains may ensure that the bowlers have a greater influence on events than usual.

Fast bowler Mornantau Hayward could be a key performer for South Africa.

He has not played at Test level for more than a year after suffering a loss of form.

At one stage last season he could not make the starting line-up of his Eastern Province provincial team. But he has been bowling well during the current season and is South Africa’s only bowler of express pace in the absence through injury of Allan Donald and Mfuneko Ngam.

The Indians look shaky at the top of their batting but have a strong middle order in which Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman and skipper Saurav Ganguly all have the ability to make big scores.

India will look to their spin bowlers, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and leg-spinner Anil Kumble, to give them an advantage over a South African team which has strength in depth in batting.

South Africa originally named 12 players for the Test but the squad was cut to 11 when fast bowler Charl Langeveldt was released to play provincial cricket.

India have yet to win a Test match in South Africa, losing a four-match series 1-0 in 1992/93 and a three-match series 2-0 in 1996/97.

In their most recent Test clash, South Africa pulled off a rare series win by a team touring India, winning both matches between the sides in 1999/2000.

Teams:

South Africa: Shaun Pollock (captain), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Boeta Dippenaar, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Mornantau Hayward, Makhaya Ntini.

India (from): Saurav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid (vice-captain), Shiv Sunder Das, Connor Williams, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Sameer Dighe, Deep Dasgupta, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Ajit Agarkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Javagal Srinath.

Umpires: Dave Orchard (South Africa) and Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka).

Match referee: Mike Denness (England).—AFP