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AB hoping for fast start

Pretoria - Proteas batsman AB de Villiers is hoping for a fast start against the West Indies in the first of three Tests, beginning in Centurion on Wednesday.

"We want to come into the game with a bang and make them feel very far away from home," De Villiers said at a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday.

The South Africans would have to show faith in their abilities if they were to dominate, he said.

"We are mature enough to step it up.

"We know what's expected of us. The way the senior players lead the team is about working hard in the nets and walking around with confidence."

Currently, South Africa are ranked number one in the Test rankings, while West Indies are eighth.

The visitors have only ever won a single Test in South Africa -- in Port Elizabeth in 2007.

Their line-up for this week's Test is missing the injured Chris Gayle as well as Dwayne Bravo, who is not participating due to personal reasons.

De Villiers said that if the Proteas batted first, they would adopt a measured approach at the bowler-friendly venue.

"Centurion has always been a ground where you take your time in the first hour or two and earn your right to score quickly," he said.

At about 15:00 to 16:00, the wicket gets a bit flatter and that's when you can cash in."

As for the selection of the bowling line-up, De Villiers said it was a serious consideration to go with an all-pace attack.

Fast bowlers Dale Steyn, Morné Morkel, Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott should all start, but if South Africa chose not to play spinner Robin Peterson, it could hand 19-year-old quick Kagiso Rabada a Test debut.

"It's the biggest decision that management will have to make. Centurion normally doesn't turn that much.

"(An option is) to go with that extra seamer. But it might also not be a bad idea to play a spinner."
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