A stronghold for South Africa and Kallis

With the series level at 1-1 and everything to play for, South Africa will be pleased with the venue for the decider. Of the 31 Tests they have played here, the South Africans have won 12 and lost nine, but it's their recent record which will give them more confidence: seven victories and two defeats since their readmission into international cricket in 1992. The last time they lost to a side other than Australia in a Test here was almost ten years ago, when Pakistan beat them by 29 runs in February 1998.

West Indies' two trips here have hardly been memorable. In the Boxing Day Test in 1998 they went down by nine wickets, while five years later the hammering was even more severe, by an innings and 65 runs.

Jacques Kallis has, as usual, been the leading batsman for South Africa at this ground: he needs just 143 more to get to 1000 runs here, but for the rest it's been a mixed bag. Shaun Pollock has enjoyed himself with the bat, with three half-centuries in 11 Tests, but some of the bigger names have struggled. It hasn't been a happy venue for the captain, but for Hashim Amla Durban will conjure up miserable memories: in four innings he has scores of 1, 0, 1, 0.

Graeme Smith got some form back with his 85 in the second innings in Cape Town, but in ten innings in Durban, he has only scored one half-century. His average of 20.30 is his worst among home venues where he has played at least three Tests.

The absence of Chris Gayle will seriously weaken the West Indian batting. Among the batsmen in their squad, only two have played at this ground before. Shivnarine Chanderpaul has a healthy average here, but Daren Ganga, who will take the mantle of senior opener in the absence of Gayle, has struggled, scoring just 51 in four innings.

Not only has Pollock enjoyed batting here, he has also been among the wickets, taking 39 at an average of less than 23. Makhaya Ntini has averaged more than five wickets per Test here, but in his only Test he played here, against England in 2004, Dale Steyn only managed match figures 3 for 148.