Consider this for a statistic: in six previous tours to Australia, South Africa have never won a Test series. In 1952/53 (under Jack Cheetham), in 19963/64 (under Trevor Goddard) and in 1993/94 (under Kepler Wessels) South African teams returned with a share of the spoils. The other three sides, most recently in 1997/98 under Hansie Cronje, all lost.

So should it be any different this summer. Bluntly, the head says no. Even ordinary Australian teams are formidable opponents at home and this is a particularly good one, well-organised and confident. By contrast, South Africa have included two veteran fast bowlers, one of whom has barely bowled a ball in anger this summer, there are at least four batsmen in the side who either have questions to answer or are unproven at this level and South Africa do not possess a spin bowler likely to win matches on Australian pitches.

So, should Shaun Pollock's side bother to get on the plane on Saturday. The answer is an unequivocal yes, if for no other reason than this is an opportunity for the current South Africans to make history. For some it will be a last chance, for others perhaps the only chance.

During the 1993/94 tour South Africa played dismally to lose a one-day game in Hobart. Afterwards a grim-faced Wessels noted that Australia "makes or breaks players". The message got home and the team returned with that amazing win in Sydney and a share of the series. The point, however, remains true.

Wessels has again been connected with Australia this week when the United Cricket Board turned down a request for him to accompany the team as a consultant. This was probably the right decision, if for no other reason than to give Graham Ford and Corrie van Zyl a chance to succeed or fail on their terms. Neither knows a great deal about Australia and both prefer to stay in the background, but they will never face a sterner test of their methods and strategies than on this tour.

The one asset they do have is the captain, Pollock. If the three can lift the side when the bad moments come - and they will - then South Africa will have at least a fighting chance.

Briefly, then, these are the question marks against the South Africans: can Neil McKenzie, one of Jaques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar and, to a lesser extent, Justin Ontong survive against an attack more disciplined than anything they have faced before and which includes the world's best spin bowler? Can Allan Donald produce it once more for his country and, if not, can Steve Elworthy step in the breach? Has Makhaya Ntini got it out of his head that he is an automatic selection and that he, more than most, needs to compensate for his lack of variety by putting one ball after another for hour after hour? Can Lance Klusener quell the suspicion that he'd prefer to avoid the new ball if possible?

Most importantly, can this South African side find the mental resolve to cope with all that Australia will throw at them over the next two months (and when I say all, I mean everyone - taxi drivers, waitresses, customs officials, barmen - all of whom will be saying in one way or another: "Wait 'till Warnie gets ya").

If the South Africans can find answers to these questions, then this very good team could be remembered as a great one.

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