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England and Proteas are 'similar'

Cape Town - As the Proteas and England continue preparations for their four-match Test series starting on Boxing Day, they do so with a lot in common. 

That is the view of South African coach Russell Domingo, anyway. 

The Proteas are the number one ranked Test side in the world while England are sixth, but Domingo still sees many similarities between the sides. 

The most obvious one is that both sides are coming off series losses - the Proteas going down 3-0 in India while England were beaten 2-0 in the UAE. 

But another thing these sides have in common is that they both aren't quite sure what their best team is. 

Eng;l;and captain Alastair Cook said as much as soon as his squad touched down in South Africa, while the Proteas have also been open about the fact that they are going through a transitional phase at the moment. 

"The England side has also just come off a series loss, so we’re pretty much in similar positions," said Domingo.

"I read a lot and hear a lot about the make-up of their side … struggling to find an opening batsman, also struggling with whose going to keep wicket, whose going to be the third seamer.

"A lot of Test sides at the moment are going through a bit of a transitional phase and when that happens there are obviously some changes that take place more regularly than when your side is established.

"So I think England are in a very similar position to what we are … coming off a series loss and trying to find what our best starting 11 is."

The first Test of four between the sides starts in Durban on Boxing Day.

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