England prepare for a reinvigorated South Africa

After their humbling on the highveld, England's cricketers have arrived in Port Elizabeth ahead of Friday's first Test against South Africa. The change of scene has brought about a change in attitude, according to their coach, Duncan Fletcher, who oversaw a training session on Wednesday that was brimming with the sort of intensity that their performance in Potchefstroom had lacked.

"I think they've got Potchefstroom out of their system," said Fletcher, after a three-hour workout that had included a lengthy team meeting. "The early part of the tour is over - we're playing Test cricket now, and the guys are mentally aware of what's required."

Even so, it was only five days ago that Fletcher had been urging his charges to kick a vulnerable South African side while it was down. His sentiments have changed rather like the sea-breezes at St George's Park that could help or hinder his pacemen come Friday morning. Instead, it is the South Africans who are making the bullish noises now, with their captain, Graeme Smith demanding victory for his side, as they prepare for a rare appearance in front of their home crowds.

"We don't see ourselves as underdogs," declared Smith ahead of their arrival in Port Elizabeth. "As a young guy you dream of these big series against the likes of England and Australia, and at the moment people keep stopping me in the street to say: `please beat the Poms!' We get one chance a year to play in front of our own fans, and this is a biggie, no question. We are two evenly matched sides, but we intend to win."

Subtlety is not a trait well renowned in South Africa, and at their afternoon practice session at the stadium, their coach, Ray Jennings, once again left onlookers in no doubt as to what to expect come Friday. As he subjected his batsmen to 125mph tennis serves from 22 yards, and lined his slip fielders up to collect balls fed direct from the bowling machine, it was apparent that Port Elizabeth will be an ordeal by pace for both sets of players.

Makhaya Ntini, the local hero of Eastern Province, was particularly forthright about the challenges that lie ahead. "There'll be nothing friendly going on out there," he warned. "It's like a war - who is going to cross the river first?" Though he had not witnessed the demise of England's batsmen at Potchefstroom, he could barely contain his glee at the prospect of putting the wind up them once again. "If England are undercooked then absolutely, I am looking forward to it. I'm ready to take advantage."

This will be South Africa's first home series in seven, and it is an older and wiser Ntini who will lead South Africa's attack. His record at home is markedly superior to his touring figures, but he was one of the leading performers against India last month, with 8 wickets at 32.25, and is ready to return home with new tricks up his sleeve. "I learned a lot from the subcontinent," he explained. "You can't just run up and bang the ball in. The fundamental job is find the areas, and let the ball do the talking."

However hard England try to brush off the consequences of Monday's defeat, the one thing it has done is reawaken the South Africans' sense of pride in their formidable home record. Since they returned to Test cricket in 1992, they have lost just eight of their 59 Tests on home soil - five of those have been against Australia, and one, Hansie Cronje's Test at Centurion on England's last visit, has since been discredited.

"They're a good side and they will want to defend that record," said Fletcher, who is fully aware that England have not won a series in South Africa for 40 years. "We probably have more depth in our bowling, but it's their first series at home for some time and I'm sure they will be very competitive." As for England's "bouncebackability" - the buzzword of the tour to date - Fletcher was adamant that the character of his side would shine through. "We've done it before," he declared, and I'm sure we'll do it again."