SA bat as Steyn pulls out

Centurion - England won the toss and sent South Africa in to bat first in the first Castle Lager Test match on a hot sunny day at Supersport Park on Wednesday.

South Africa suffered a major blow with the announcement that their premier strike bowler, Dale Steyn, had not recovered from a hamstring injury sustained during the one-day international series. He has been replaced by Highveld Lions strike bowler Friedel de Wet, who is making his Test debut.

On the other end of the scale, veteran Makhaya Ntini, received his 100th Test cap, becoming only the fifth South African to achieve this distinction.

He is also the only fast bowler to reach the milestone.

England's injured bowlers were all declared fit to play.

South Africa have a good Test record at Supersport Park, having won 11 of the 14 Tests they have played there. However, their record against England in Centurion is not quite as good - England have won one and drawn two of the three Tests they have played there.

Teams:

South Africa - Graeme Smith (capt), Ashwell Prince, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Friedel de Wet, Makhaya Ntini

England - Alistair Cook, Andrew Strauss (capt), Jonathan Trott, K Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Matthew Prior, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Graham Onions