Watson braces for South African pace

There are three nations Shane Watson hasn't faced in Test cricket: Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It's easy to guess which clash he's been looking forward to the most.

Last time the Australians visited South Africa, Watson was neither fit nor an opening batsman. He was 27, had played only eight Tests for no lasting impact, and was still battling the injury curse that had plagued him throughout his career. On that tour in early 2009, Simon Katich was the established man at the top of the order and Phillip Hughes ducked and weaved and slashed his way to two centuries in his first series.

Later that year, Watson was catapulted to the top of the order when Hughes was axed during the Ashes tour of England. Now it's Katich who has gone, with Watson and Hughes the incumbents as Australia's batsmen again prepare to face two of the world's best new-ball bowlers.

"It's going to be a great challenge," Watson said. "Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are some of the best bowlers in the world at the moment, in all forms of the game. It's something that I've really been looking forward to, being able to play Test cricket over here in South Africa. It's something that I haven't done. It's going to be a huge challenge of my game and what I'm made of.

"I've seen a lot of the South African bowlers, [although] I haven't played that much against them. I played with Morne Morkel in the IPL, so I've been able to see a bit of him. Twenty20 is different to Test matches, but it's a great challenge and I've been looking forward to this series for a while."

The series is only two Tests long but it could still have a meaningful impact on Watson's future role in the team. He hasn't made scored a Test century in more than a year, and in his past nine Tests he has averaged 38.18.

In partnership with Katich, Watson was unquestionably the aggressor, muscling the new ball over midwicket or the bowler's head while Katich crawled. Now, with Hughes and Watson, Australia have two attacking openers, which can be a blessing or a curse.

Michael Clarke has spoken of Watson's position at the top of the order being best for the team "right now", but things can change. Shaun Marsh is hovering at No.3, a natural opener with a blend of solid defence and run-scoring strokes, and a man who made a century on his Test debut in Australia's previous series.

Marsh's runs tend to come through exquisite placement rather than power, and a pair of half-centuries on a difficult, fast and bouncy pitch in the tour match in Potchefstroom highlighted his temperament.

"I haven't been surprised at all," Watson said of Marsh. "I've seen him since he was a young guy, really, but especially the last three or four years I've seen him play at certain stages and seen the quality of player that he is.

"It's great that he's in a place where he feels really comfortable within our team. To see the way he batted [in Potchefstroom], continuing on his form, he's a very impressive player with both his defence and his attacking game. I'm sure he's definitely going to play a big role in our success throughout this tour."

Like Marsh, Watson found runs during the tour match, with his 77 from 73 balls in the second innings a key factor in Australia's victory. And while he described the Potchefstroom pitch as "dangerous", he said a barrage of short balls had prepared him well for the Steyn-Morkel threat.

"It was a big challenge out there throughout these three days, not knowing where the ball was going to bounce," he said. "Also with the young fella [Marchant de Lange] bowling at very good pace as well, and testing out what our techniques are like on the short ball, I think it's as good a practice as you can get going in. I think that's what we're going to see from the South African bowlers as well."

The Australians were due to fly to Cape Town on Friday and take Saturday off before resuming training on Sunday. The first Test begins at Newlands on Wednesday.