'Australia probably at their most vulnerable' - Kallis

Jacques Kallis, the South Africa allrounder, has said the upcoming tour of Australia might be the best chance for South Africa to end their Australian jinx. South Africa haven't won any of their eight Test series against Australia since readmission - they also haven't ever won a series in Australia - but Kallis believes they can buck the trend this season.

"Australia are probably at their most vulnerable yet," Kallis told Sport24.co.za. "It may be the best chance that we have had. But everything will have to go right for us to win."

Australia were comprehensively outplayed in in Mohali, where their their 320-run loss to India was one of their biggest defeats in recent years. But Kallis said that was not necessarily an indication of how Ricky Ponting's men would perform at home.

"They may be struggling a little in India, where they are playing in difficult conditions," Kallis said. "To beat them over there [in Australia], everything must go right, such as winning the toss and performing better than they do at crucial stages. They'll be at home, in conditions they know well and where they have not been beaten in years. It won't be easy."

Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, was also keen on making history, as the team did with the recent Test series win in England. "We're on the brink of the most important season South African cricket has ever experienced," Smith said at the South African Cricket Annual Cricketers of the Year banquet in Johannesburg on Monday. "This is a realistic opportunity for us to beat Australia in a Test series.

"Australia are obviously not easy to beat in any form of the game, regardless of the amount of outstanding players who have retired in the last few years. We respect them enormously for the way they've dominated world cricket over the past decade. Nevertheless, I believe there's enough experience in our team and that we have closed the gap in terms of talent and form.

"Our build-up to this coming Australian series has been carefully planned and we proved that everything is on track when we drew the Test series against India. We then won the away Test series in England for the third time in our nation's history.

"We've got an established top six batting order, statistically the best wicketkeeper the game has ever seen and a bowling attack that has proved its ability to take 20 wickets in a Test match on a regular basis in differing conditions."

South Africa play three Tests in Australia in December-January before hosting them for three in February-March. Led by Smith, the South Africa Test side has had a successful 12 months, with away series wins against Pakistan, Bangladesh and England.

They have also enjoyed home successes over New Zealand and West Indies and a drawn series in India. The team's 2008-09 season will begin with an ODI series against Kenya, starting October 31, followed by a one-day and Test series against Bangladesh.