Tight series in store

Pakistan and South Africa square up for a three-match Test series, starting in Karachi on Monday, with the bookmakers pretty unsure who will emerge the winner, with the home side just shading favouritism at 11/8 (2.37).

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Bet365 make South Africa 9/4 (3.25) to triumph while the draw is on offer at 15/8 (2.87).

Though Twenty20 is about as far removed from Test cricket as you could possibly get, Pakistan, who reached the final of that competition, should take some confidence from that into a tough Test series against an always competitive South Africa side.

The return of Mohammad Yousuf, their outstanding middle order batsman and one of the world's best, can only improve their chances and they are always tough to beat on home soil, having not lost any of their past 10 Tests in Pakistan.

That sequence included seven wins - against India, England, Sri Lanka and West Indies, so South Africa will be a step up, but Karachi is a massive stronghold for them, having won 21 and lost just one of the 39 Tests there - the only defeat coming against England in 2000.

South Africa, though, are pretty confident they can win a series there for the first time, so much so that they felt able to drop Shaun Pollock - one of their best ever bowlers - for the first Test. The selectors said Pollock, who has lost a yard or two of pace, may not be quite so effective these days on the dry, dusty pitches of the sub-continent. However, an injury to Morne Morkel means Pollock may yet play, so watch this space.

Other than that, South Africa will be at full strength and they will need to be as their recent away record in Tests is pretty woeful, with just four wins and nine defeats from their past 20 Tests.

Given the strength of Pakistan's record at Karachi - even though there is no place in their side for Inzamam-ul-Haq or Shoaib Akhtar - bet365's price of 13/8 (2.62) looks pretty generous and that could be the way to go. South Africa are 9/4 and the draw is a 6/4 bet.

Yousuf is the 3/1 favourite to top-score for Pakistan in the first innings, with in-form Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik 4/1 and Mohammad Hafeez and Salman Butt 9/2. Taufeeq Umar may not be certain to play but he averages 74 against South Africa so could be tempting at 7/1.

For the tourists, Jacques Kallis, the real class in the South Africa side, is 10/3 favourite, with captain Graeme Smith 4/1 and Herschelle Gibbs 9/2. Ashwell Prince and AB De Villiers are both 5/1.

Cambers' Call:
Pakistan to beat South Africa in Test series - 11/8 (2.37) (bet365) Pakistan to win 1st Test v South Africa - 13/8 (2.62) (bet365) Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.