Worries for SA, England ahead of first Test

South Africa have worries about the fitness of key players, while England are short of form going into one of the most intensive Test series of all time.

South Africa and England start a five-Test series at St George's Park on Friday with question marks over both teams.

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South Africa, hoping to end a sequence of disappointing results, have worries about the fitness of key players, while England are short of form going into one of the most intensive Test series of all time.

Five Tests will be played in the space of 40 days with no other matches in between.

South Africa are likely to be without Nicky Boje, their vice-captain and only spin bowler, who is struggling to prove his fitness after a recent operation to remove a cyst from his left shoulder, while star all-rounder Jacques Kallis may be unable to bowl because of an ankle injury.

The balance of the South African side depends on the final fitness assessments.

There is no other spinner in the squad, and no-one on standby, so if Boje does not play then South Africa will be forced to field an all-seam attack, backed by the occasional spin of Graeme Smith and Jacques Rudolph.