Eduan Roos
Dubai - It takes loads of runs and plenty of patience to force open the door to the Proteas Test team, but now the difficult part comes, says Alviro Petersen – to stay there.
The Lions captain played in the first of his 14 limited overs matches for the national team four years ago now, but he had to score more than 6 500 first-rate runs and wait until after his 29th birthday before he finally got his Test chance in February this year in India.
Petersen celebrated it with a century in his first Test and is not planning to let go of his role as Graeme Smith's opening partner anytime soon.
"This series is an excellent chance to secure my place in the team and in many ways it is all-or-nothing for me," said Petersen shortly after he joined the rest of the team in the desert city.
"Despite that century, I still have to improve a lot."
"I prepared well for the tour and I simply have to perform."
Although Pakistan have not won a Test series in three years, a big challenge awaits the Proteas, says Petersen.
"They just have that something that other teams don't have and can be devastating at their best."
"(Saeed) Ajmal in particular will be a handful, while their pacemen are also masters of reverse-seam bowling."
"We expect a wicket similar to ones on the subcontinent and that is why I have prepared for it as if I was batting in India or Pakistan."
"No match at this level is ever easy, especially as you have to face world-class bowlers, and cannot afford to lose concentration," he said.
"I am going to make sure that I am still here for many years, because to play Test cricket is the biggest honour for any player."
According to Ashwell Prince, the visitors' 3-2 victory in the tense one-day series has already been long forgotten.
"This is a completely different game and it would be a big mistake to underestimate Pakistan," said Prince, who has just scored three big centuries in as many SuperSport matches for the Warriors.
Dubai - It takes loads of runs and plenty of patience to force open the door to the Proteas Test team, but now the difficult part comes, says Alviro Petersen – to stay there.
The Lions captain played in the first of his 14 limited overs matches for the national team four years ago now, but he had to score more than 6 500 first-rate runs and wait until after his 29th birthday before he finally got his Test chance in February this year in India.
Petersen celebrated it with a century in his first Test and is not planning to let go of his role as Graeme Smith's opening partner anytime soon.
"This series is an excellent chance to secure my place in the team and in many ways it is all-or-nothing for me," said Petersen shortly after he joined the rest of the team in the desert city.
"Despite that century, I still have to improve a lot."
"I prepared well for the tour and I simply have to perform."
Although Pakistan have not won a Test series in three years, a big challenge awaits the Proteas, says Petersen.
"They just have that something that other teams don't have and can be devastating at their best."
"(Saeed) Ajmal in particular will be a handful, while their pacemen are also masters of reverse-seam bowling."
"We expect a wicket similar to ones on the subcontinent and that is why I have prepared for it as if I was batting in India or Pakistan."
"No match at this level is ever easy, especially as you have to face world-class bowlers, and cannot afford to lose concentration," he said.
"I am going to make sure that I am still here for many years, because to play Test cricket is the biggest honour for any player."
According to Ashwell Prince, the visitors' 3-2 victory in the tense one-day series has already been long forgotten.
"This is a completely different game and it would be a big mistake to underestimate Pakistan," said Prince, who has just scored three big centuries in as many SuperSport matches for the Warriors.