New Delhi: Hosts South Africa take on England in the 1st Test at Durban on Saturday.
Coming into this important series on the back of a 3-0 mauling in India, the Proteas will be looking make amends against the visiting English side.
Alastair Cook's side too will want to get back to winning ways after their 2-0 series loss against Pakistan.
With pace spearhead James Anderson out injured with a tight calf, the home side will go into 1st Test as favorites.
As two good Tests team get set to battle, here are five interesting facts ahead of the series opener.
1) The Saffers have failed to beat the Poms on their last two visits. England won the 2004/5 series 2-1, while the 2009 series ended in a 1-1 draw.
2) Dale Steyn enjoys bowling against England. The pacer has picked up 46 wickets in 11 Tests, including two five-wicket hauls.
3) All-rounder Ben Stokes is 28 runs and five wickets short of registering 1,000 runs and 50 wickets respectively in Test cricket.
4) Skipper Alastair Cook needs 220 runs to become the first England batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs.
5) Barring Cook, no other current England batsman has played a Test on South African soil.
