Somerset v South Africans, Tour match, Taunton

Steyn rested for opening tour game

Cricinfo staff

June 28, 2008

	Dale Steyn, South Africa's cricketer of the year, will sit out the match against Somerset © Getty Images

Dale Steyn has been rested for the South African's first tour match against Somerset as the tourists get their first serious run-out ahead of the four-Test series that starts on July 10. Graeme Smith is also missing as he continues his recovery from the hamstring injury he picked up in the IPL, but is hoping to be fit for the final warm-up game against Middlesex.

The South Africans have had three days of practice since arriving in England as they aim to become the first side since readmission to win a series in the country. They have held the upper hand on their three previous visits in 1994, 1998 and 2003 before slipping up at the end.

"Since unity happened in the 1990s, we have never won here. This team wants to leave its footprint here. We want to be the first team since unity to win in England," said coach Mickey Arthur. "We've been building up. There were three major series that captain Graeme Smith and I worked towards as a leadership team - India in India, England in England and Australia in Australia.

"We have them all in the space of nine months, which is a huge challenge for us. But the squad is hugely excited at coming to England. The cricket culture here is huge so we are really looking forward to doing well here."

Smith and Arthur have also stressed the importance of lifting the level of intensity from the first ball of the tour. "I have been very pleased with our first three days of practice," said Smith. "The boys have really hit their straps quickly."

Ashwell Prince will lead the side in Smith's absence and even though Steyn takes the match off he has a strong pace attack to call on. Makhaya Ntini is a certain starter for the Test series alongside Steyn, while Morne Morkel impressed on the tour of India. Andre Nel will be pressing his claims for a recall ahead of the series, while the spin is in the hands of Paul Harris.

Plenty of the South Africans have experience of county cricket. All the main bowlers have had spells in England, although Morkel's stint with Yorkshire this season was cut short by injury.

They will face a weakened Somerset team as Justin Langer and Marcus Trescothick are rested following the Twenty20 Cup, but Andrew Caddick returns after being sidelined with injury. There are a number of players who will be coming up against their fellow countrymen, with Craig Kieswetter, Alfonso Thomas and Zander de Bruyn all coming from South Africa.

Somerset 1 Neil Edwards, 2 Arul Suppiah, 3 James Hildreth, 4 Wes Durston, 5 Peter Trego, 6 Craig Kieswetter (wkt), 7 Omari Banks, 8 Steffan Jones, 9 Andrew Caddick (capt), 10 Mark Turner, 11 Michael Munday.

South Africans 1 Neil McKenzie, 2 AB de Villiers, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Ashwell Prince (capt), 6 JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Paul Harris, 10 Andre Nel, 11 Makhaya Ntini

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Matches

Somerset v South Africans at Taunton

Players/Umpires

Andy Caddick

Ashwell Prince

Graeme Smith

Dale Steyn

Series/Tournaments

South Africa tour of England

Teams

England

Somerset

South Africa