Joe Root’s fast bowler choices, and their fitness, may be decisive at a venue that rarely hosts a dull Test between these sidesA sense of eager anticipation is justified when a Test match is at the Wanderers. Stuff happens: a bouncy pitch excites fast bowlers as it did Allan Donald (in 1999), and Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel (2010). Some batsmen revel in the extra pace such as Marcus Trescothick and Herschelle Gibbs (2005); as the humidity increases and thunderstorms threaten, the ball can swing as it did for Matthew Hoggard (2005); wickets can fall in quick succession as for Stuart Broad (2016) and yet it is stillpossible for there to be a heroic rearguard action on a monumental scale (Michael Atherton, 1995).
![Pace holds key for England against South Africa in Wanderers shootout | Vic Marks](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/251b5a3161ba1ef48984dbf7096f211b6ba20c22/0_278_5477_3286/master/5477.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=7dbcb5583c1c51bb7b6806e64e1e47ba)
Since South Africa’s re-entry the tally stands at two wins per side at the Wanderers plus the Atherton/Jack Russell inspired draw. For there to be another draw in the fourth Test quite a lot of rain will have to fall, which is a possibility. More likely there will be a shootout with the pace bowlers to the fore on a well-grassed pitch that seldom disappoints.