Proteas have 'all bases covered' as they prepare for extreme spin conditions

The national side have spent the last few days at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria where the coaching staff and groundsmen have tried to replicate expected conditions they will face in in the two Test matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi, starting on 12 October.

Rawalpindi, especially, is the venue where 29 of 31 wickets fell to spinners when Pakistan played England in a Test match last year.

Markram told reporters before the squad's departure: "We're here at the HPC. It's actually been really good. They've managed to get the wickets to turn quite a bit. There are a couple of nets where it's really exaggerated.

"You'd almost rather have it here and get to Pakistan and it maybe feel a bit easier. We're expecting the spin side of things big time in Pakistan.

"Naturally, it's a lot lower from a seam point of view and a lot more skiddy, so it's quite hard to emulate here in South Africa.

"But we've put emphasis on that and found ways of training for it as well. The bowlers have been really good for us over a good period of time now.

"The attack might look a bit different in Pakistan, but we certainly feel happy with the fact that we've got all bases covered."

The Proteas now have the added pressure of being World Test champions and will have a target on their backs from opposition.

They face Pakistan and then India in back-to-back series in Asia to kick off the defence of the trophy.

"It will be two massive challenges and I think it will send a little bit of a statement if we have two successful tours," said Markram, who will stand-in as Test skipper for the injured Temba Bavuma.

"That's how the scheduling has worked out, and as a team you want to be challenged and play the best in their conditions, and I feel that's what's ahead for us these next two or three months.

"I suppose you do create a bit of a target on your back if you've won, so it's completely fair if that is the case, and from our point of view we want to chase that again and lift that same trophy once again.

"So each team will come for you, and you as a team also have to keep getting better and improving, and play well in all different types of conditions. It will start for us in Pakistan and it's a challenge the boys will be up for."

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