South Africa have to be creative, smart - Donald

Home-ground advantage can be likened to knowing which way the instructor will ask you to turn during your driver's license test or having an extra clue in a game of Trivial Pursuit. It's that little something extra contributes to the success of a side, and it exists in most sports.

Some enjoy it through atmosphere because the sounds of a sizeable crowd can intimidate opposition; others take it in through local knowledge, because only someone who has spent a significant amount of time on a particular field will know its secrets. In South African cricket, it is experienced through the pace, bounce and carry of the pitches. Except in Port Elizabeth.

"We know when we come here, it's going to be a bit of a toil," Allan Donald, South Africa's bowling coach, said. "You have to be creative, smart and very patient."

Unlike Centurion, the Wanderers or even Kingsmead, where there is assistance on offer for the seamers, St George's Park is not as generous. Its surface is slow and stubborn, and demands more subtle skills from both batsmen and bowlers, which can ultimately turn the contest into a patience game.

If a batsman is willing to see off dot ball after dot ball with the understanding that there may be a run for every 20, if a bowler can land the ball fairly full outside off over and over again, his chances of a wicket increase. If there are a full five days to stick to those disciplines, there will probably be a result. But already, more than a day's worth of cricket in the second Test has been lost after only six overs were possible on the second day and 75 minutes were lost to a wet outfield and bad light on the third day. It means the side that wants a result other than a draw will have to force it.

South Africa are that side. With a series win in sight and a decent start on the opening day, they were hoping to bat just once. The weather and a more disciplined West Indies attack meant they had to revise that plan. With West Indies at 147 for 2, South Africa will now look for quick wickets, quick runs and even quicker wickets when they bowl last. Donald feels they may only be a step away from achieving the first goal.

"This pitch is probably tailormade for Shiv [Chanderpaul] where he can grind away; if we break this partnership and we get Shiv in, we know that the tail is very long and hopefully we can race through them respectfully," Donald said.

South Africa are banking on reverse-swing, chiefly from the leader of their attack. Dale Steyn was down on pace on the third day but showed what he is capable of on this track earlier this year with a match-winning spell against Australia.

"We saw a magnificent spell there when he just went through the gears," Donald said. "He is that sort of bowler that picks his time and knows when to really step it up and bowl at his optimum pace. It will require that sort of skill, patience and aggression tomorrow to open up an end."

It will also require innovation: "It's the sort of pitch where someone in the attack can sometimes bowl two lengths and mix it up a little bit. You've got to always put people in certain areas where you are making the batsmen think about what's going on. It's a bit like Adelaide Oval. You have to be very smart about how you use your field and manipulate your field."

That leaves Imran Tahir to do the task he has struggled with in his international career so far: contain. Tahir was included in the XI because South Africa expected the surface to take turn but the weather means Tahir may be rendered ineffective. "There is not a great deal of wear and tear. Imran will have to do a holding job for us," Donald said.