Intro:

Gary Kirsten and Graeme Smith, head coach and captain of the South African cricket team, spoke about their hopes for the forthcoming tour of England on Monday at Johannesburg Airport.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Gary Kirsten, head coach of the South African cricket team:
"I think we're fairly comfortable and we've got 17 days leading into the first Test that we're together as a team. And I think we really want to make sure that we cover all the bases, we want to... we know we're playing against a quality team, but we want to make sure that preparation-wise we're connected as a unit and I think we know that against a team we're playing against, it might boil down to crucial moments in the test match. And we want to make sure, sorry in the Test series, we want to make sure that we're up for that in terms of where we are as a unit and as a group of people."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Graeme Smith, captain of the South African cricket test team:
"I'd like to think now we'd be very fresh going into the Oval Test, and mentally be really strong, and sit up well for what we're going to encounter. I guess it's the one wicket in England that tends to bounce a bit more, a really quick outfield. And if anything, this is the one wicket that might actually spin a little bit as the Test match goes on. So, I think we've got enough experience around the group to use. So we know what to expect conditions-wise and crowd-wise going into the Oval. And I'd like to think we'd be really prepared going into that first Test."