England may be a relieved lot to return to Johannesburg after spending a terse time while embarking on their controversial tour to Zimbabwe. But the relief was clearly short-lived as they were handed an embarrassing seven wicket defeat against South Africa A. Zimbabwe posed not more than a couple of brief hiccups and far from being an ideal warm up. St. Georges Park in Port Elizabeth is where the battle that matters begins.

The South African team returned rejuvenated from a gruelling but toughening tour to India. That they eventually lost the series one-nil mattered little. The grit and fortitude that the young and largely inexperienced team led by Graeme Smith displayed had a semblance of resemblance to the guts and determination that the team under Kepler Wessels epitomized when South Africa returned to the international fold. While these qualities do not necessarily guarantee success, they are the pillars of foundation on which teams of honour are built. Under a new coach in Ray Jennings, the team fortified themselves in a renewed spirit of love and care, a disintegration of basic human emotions clearly evident on a disastrous tour to Sri Lanka preceding the Indian series.

England's recent success and rise in the world status has been overshadowed of late by storm surrounding the tour to Zimbabwe. After a protracted debate that went back and forth, the England team finally embarked to take on Zimbabwe, a tour that proved challenging on the pitch only in patches. Apart from Michael Vaughan and brief glimpses from Geraint Jones and Andrew Strauss, England's were fairly quiet even in vanquishing the Zimbabweans. It is very easy to become complacent after a tour against a team struggling to maintain a bare minimum of respectability. England's confidence could easily read as obsequiousness.

England may just have had a rude but timely awakening after being handed a seven wicket defeat at Poochefstroom against South Africa A, a team that does not even have one member currently in the thirteen-man squad that will play England on Friday. While Andrew Strauss picked up a half-century, there was none apart from the skipper Michael Vaughan, with a century in vain against his name in the second innings, who rose to the occasion. The loss came in dramatic fashion on the final day that was made more enthralling by the thunder clap, lightning and rain that could not save the day for England.

Reading too much into England's defeat would be the undermining the strength and potential of a team that have raised their game several notches after an indifferent slack period while the sub continent took a firm foothold over the revenues and workings in the world order. With Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard and James Anderson, they have a genuine bowling attack. With Graham Thorpe lending weight to the middle order along with Mark Butcher and Marcus Trescothick partnering Michael Vaughan with sheer brilliance.

It would also be the undoing of the hosts. That is largely because the squad still resembles a bunch of tiny tots led by a determined and self-assured captain in Graeme Smith and a couple of stalwarts in Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis. Nicky Boje is not likely to return soon having undergone an operation to remove a growth in his neck. Herschelle Gibbs is absent from the list, an injury cited for his absence. It will be interesting to see whether the young opening batsman, Ab de Villiers, will replace him. Andrew Hall may struggle to retain the position that he excelled in on the tour to India. England will not be facing the fury of Andre Nel. Charl Langeveldt, who missed touring India at the eleventh hour and has been left out for the first Test, was primarily responsible for denting the confidence of the England squad. But Dale Steyn, if given the opportunity, promises to prove a handful with sheer pace. Despite the coach's premature indications, Thami Tsolekile will in fact don the gloves for the home Tests. The only player to miss out will be Justin Ontong who scored useful runs for South Africa A, perhaps sending a signal or two to the selectors.

The South African squad has little to show for themselves except their new found self-belief and restored self-esteem. While they are the essential values around which revolve any winning strategy, there is no substitute for hard work and mental toughness in the midst of a tight situation. No amount of simulations and tough talk by the coach will be preparation enough for the real battle when their mettle will be tested to the core.