Watch Allan Donald's bowling action

It was three winters ago in South Africa that the fast bowler demolished England's batting order in the final Test of the series, taking the Man of the Match and the Man of the Series awards. He has since taken 10 hauls of five wickets in an innings and two of 10 wickets in a match.

Allan Donald talks to BBC News online

BBC News online spoke to Donald to ask for his thoughts on the next few months of cricket and his response to questions e-mailed by our readers.

The bowler is already itching to play, not least because Edgbaston is his de facto home ground, after 10 years as Warwickshire's overseas player.

Allan Donald on the special feeling of playing at Edgbaston

"It's great to play a Test match where you have played for the last 10 years, and the atmosphere at Edgbaston has always been really good," he says.

"I think it is going to be a special day for 18,000 people in the ground, a few South African supporters, and 11 guys willing to die for their country. This match and the series is boiling up to be a special one."

South Africa were victorious in the one-day internationals last month, beating England 2-1. Donald believes this is a significant prelude to the tour.

"It's important when you're on tour to win the three-day games and the one-day warm-ups and that winning breeds confidence. So far we've only lost one game on the tour, one of the Texaco Trophy games, so we are going into the Test match full of confidence."

Donald talks about this summer's Test season

Donald is impressed by England's batsmen. "I think they've picked a good side, with a strong batting line-up. Mark Ramprakash is in good form and with Atherton back in the side, that will give them good stability up front.

"Many people would like to think that it's England batting against South Africa's bowling, but we will have to wait and see. We do have to bat well, make some big scores as well as bowl them out twice," he adds.

On a personal level, Donald is clear about his ambitions: "In a series, I would set myself a target of 20 or 25 wickets. I always like to set myself high targets - they inspire me, keep me motivated and focused. It is a long shot, a lot of hard work, but hopefully staying fit form-wise, I'll get there."

In the last year, injury has forced several pace bowlers to take miss international cricket, such as former Pakistani captain Wasim Akram, India's Javagal Srinath and Darren Gough for England.

Over the years, Donald too has suffered physical problems, but a thorough fitness and dietary regime as well as being given frequent rests by selectors and captain, have spared him long spells out of action.

His fitness is fine, he says. "I was speaking to [West Indies pace bowler] Courtney Walsh the other day and he was asking me how fit I was. I told him I was starting to pick up niggling little injuries. He said when you strike 30, that's when they start to creep in. But at the moment I'm fit and raring to go.

"I anticipate a couple more years at this level. I'd like to rethink my career after the World Cup, considering form and fitness and if I'm going to be selected," he says.

"The volume of cricket that we play is becoming so much more. There's no time to think about yourself and your family, which have become a crucial part of my life now, and are more important than travelling away from home all the time."

The journey has been a long but worthwhile one. While playing for Warwickshire in the late 1980s, Donald resisted the temptation to qualify for England, hoping that one day his country would be allowed to return to international cricket.

Donald and his career to date

"I remember the words of Dr Ali Bacher, who said I mustn't rush any decision and in the end this was justified. He told me to hang on for a couple of years, we would be back in there and I could wear the green and gold colours when we tour England.

"For me and for everyone, that is a special honour, and come Thursday at Edgbaston, it will be an even greater one."