Spin bowlers are expected to lurk in the wings of the first Test between South Africa and Australia starting at Centurion on Wednesday, leaving the spotlight to merchants of seam, swing and serious speed.
Centurion's reputation for lively pitches precedes it. Teams have been dismissed for less than 200 in 13 of the 44 completed Test innings at the ground - or 29.55%. In Tests played at Newlands since re-admission, for instance, that percentage is only 18.55.
Most of those wickets have been taken by fast bowlers, and the focus will be on them again, what with six of the world's leading pacemen likely to be involved.
Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Ryan Harris, cricket's top three bowlers in that order, will surely wreak havoc. Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Morné Morkel, who are ranked seventh, ninth and 13th respectively, will ensure that the series will not want for quality quick stuff.
In fact, the notion that South Africa would be better off not wasting a place in their XI on a specialist spinner in Centurion is out there.
Did that make Robin Peterson, the only frontline slow bowler in South Africa's squad, worry about his chances of cracking the nod?
"There's nothing to get nervous about," Peterson said yesterday. "The team hasn't been picked yet and, anyway, there's nothing I can do about that."
For all the anticipation of the fast bowlers' dominance in Centurion, if Peterson is called on to bowl in the perennial pace paradise he does not intend to alter his approach.
"Field placings might change, but your game plan never changes - spin the ball hard and land it in the right place," he said.
"I'm bowling behind No 1 and 2 in the world, and I don't think batsmen's eyes are going to light up when Morné Morkel comes on," Peterson said.
JP Duminy, who is battling a wrist injury, is scheduled to bat today.
Team management said his recovery was progressing as expected.
Shaun Marsh arrived in South Africa yesterday from Australia as an emergency replacement for Shane Watson.
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