England v South Africa: our guide to how Andrew Strauss's team can get out tourists' top batsmen Graeme Smith Smith averages 57 against England. Every three Tests he scores a century against them. Usually it's a big one. Twice it has caused the abdication of an England captain (Nasser Hussain in 2003, Michael Vaughan in 2008). He is South Africa's barn door. As a result England will spend extra time deciding how to get past him. In spite of his success, he has a strange method. Left handed, he holds the bat with a very tight bottom-handed grip which "chokes" the blade, turning it inwards so the face of the bat is closed towards the legside. His natural inclination is to hit everything to leg, balls on off stump tend to go through square leg. He can't drive through mid-off or extra cover. He is set up to plunder orthodox right-arm over-the-wicket bowlers through the legside. Which means the obvious approach is to go round the wicket, angle the ball in and try and move it away and catch the edge. The best exponent of this line of attack is Jimmy Anderson. If this doesn't work, then there's Graeme Swann. Smith is very effective against left-arm spinners, spinning into his natural shot-making art. He has to be more careful with the ball turning the other way. Swann has become every left handers nemesis, and Smith's inclination to sweep will be inhibited by the threat of the DRS. England have his number. Alviro Peterson Smith's opening partner is a more orthodox right hander. He is typically South African in that he doesn't move his feet much and goes hard at the ball, looking to drive "on the up" as many players do who are brought up on hard true pitches. This makes him vulnerable to the moving ball (as has been proved in his recent stint with Essex). England will look to bowl in a channel outside off stump (what they call 4th or 5th stump) with a bit of away movement and expect to get him caught at slip or gully. Again you can see Anderson being successful here. Peterson is likely to struggle in this series. Hashim Amla The first man of Indian descent to play for South Africa and a very wristy player who looks to score mainly square of the wicket, especially on the offside. Looks to work the ball off the stumps through midwicket early on and can be an lbw candidate - Stuart Broad may fancy his chances here with one of his lethal nip-backers. Also could be susceptible to the bouncer as he tends to hook upwards or slash at shorter balls with an open face. Scores quickly and has great concentration. Potentially dangerous. Jacques Kallis A masterly batsman, as his Test average of 57 and 42 hundreds underlines. But he has a poor record in England with just one century (14 years ago) and is a ponderous starter who remains crease-bound and a little circumspect at the start of his innings. He has been found out with a quick early yorker or a fullish delivery that jags back into his pads as he pushes tentatively at it. Steven Finn, if he plays, might be able to produce one of these. As with any classic batsman, sticking to the basics is the best approach for the bowlers. There is no substitute for persistent line and length just outside off stump with a hint of movement. England are very good at this. They know fundamentally that with Kallis, above all, you must get him early. AB de Villiers Definitely the most versatile batsman in world cricket with a fairly conventional approach to test batting which he can convert to completely unconventional in T20 with amazing flip shots and remarkable ambidextrousness. Has a very solid defence and quick footwork but can be vulnerable to the ball moving back in because he sometimes gets his front foot too far across. Also may be tempted to have a wild hook at a high, short ball. Stuart Broad will be entrusted with this job. As with Kallis, he needs to be promptly removed because he is supremely gifted. JP Duminy Will probably be preferred to Jacques Rudolph at no.6. A dashing player with fast hands who looks to slash the ball square on the offside or work it to leg. Has a great eye and wonderful timing but liable to be a bit loose and a probing line and fullish length outside may find him out. As a left-hander he is liable to be exposed to a lot of Swann trying to get him lbw with the one that doesn't turn.