Bob Woolmer fills you in on Centurion Park, where South Africa play India in the third Test, which starts tomorrow Thursday, November 22, 2001

Based just outside Pretoria, Centurion is a new town and is one of South Africa's most quickly expanding suburbs. I remember my first Test match as coach of South Africa there: it was against England, Shaun Pollock made his debut, there were three days of spectacular thunderstorms and flash floods, plus a Graeme Hick hundred.

Centurion is a wonderful ground and the people love it. There are gently sloping grass banks where you can make camp with multi-coloured umbrellas and use the skottle braais (portable woks powered by gas). The smell of boerewors sizzling away certainly gets the taste-buds working.

The crowd is usually very entertaining, with massive Mexican waves and lots of banter from the students from Pretoria and Johannesburg. They are good-natured and have witnessed some great cricket over the years, which is no surprise as Peter Hilbert, the groundsman, produces some excellent wickets. The batting surface is one of the best I have ever played on - I played for a Golden Oldies XI during the centenary celebrations of the United Cricket Board - and the outfield and nets are both superb.

Centurion is a result surface, weather permitting, and its main characteristic is the steep bounce. The groundsman tends to leave a good covering of grass on at first to stop it cracking. Early in the game the ball comes on well and the batters get value for their shots. As the game goes on there is a lot of variable bounce, both steep and low, so wickets fall regularly. It really is a superb Test-match venue.

The players' dressing-rooms are at the top of 75 steps and are very spacious. They used to have these fantastic circular chairs with deep cushions, and I was always worried that the next batter in would prefer to stay in the seat and doze off. I believe they have put in some nice leather upright chairs for the players now.

Most teams travel daily from Johannesburg, and both teams stay at the spectacular Sandton Sun hotel. It has one of the best restaurants I have ever been to - the shellfish platter is legendary. The journey takes about half-an-hour and gives the players a chance to focus their minds on the day's play.

Occasionally the lightning is so fierce that the electronic scoreboard gets struck and goes completely out of service. But however much rain there is the outfield drains immediately and play is very rarely delayed.

Shaun Pollock, who is bowling so well at the moment, will be a handful, as will Nantie Hayward. The spinners will get bounce and, if the game goes to the fifth day, appreciable turn. It should be a great match.

Bob Woolmer is director of coaching for Warwickshire CCC and the former coach of South Africa. He is a member of the editorial board of Wisden Cricket Monthly, and has just been appointed ICC's first high performance manager.

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