Third time lucky for England?

By Oliver Brett

Donald was at his peak when Ramprakash toured South Africa

Mark Ramprakash was part of England's 1995-96 touring party to South Africa, which narrowly lost the Test series against a tough home side.

And he was a late injury replacement in 1999/2000, when Hansie Cronje's team were a class above a battling England team, coached for the first time by Duncan Fletcher.

But this time, Ramprakash believes England are far better equipped for the challenge.

Their recent Test renaissance has mainly been established through small changes in the background, he explains.

"I think it's been a continuation of Nasser Hussain's reign as captain," Ramprakash tells BBC Sport.

"Things were put in place: consistency of selection, central contracts, a fitness regime, a culture where there is no fear, players coming into a side and immediately feeling comfortable.

"The current captain Michael Vaughan has a very different personality to Hussain but there's the consistent force of Duncan Fletcher's influence as coach in there."

And the benefits have been reaped in full in recent times.

"England have more a settled side at the moment through their success in the last 18 months and the emergence of Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff," Ramprakash adds.

South Africans are very proud of their sporting achievements and have many similarities with Australians Mark Ramprakash

The 1995-96 tourists lost the Test series 1-0, though not without a struggle.

The second Test at the Wanderers will always be remembered for 'Iron' Mike Atherton's 185 not out in the second innings which saved England.

But it was a different story in the first innings, when Atherton was bowled cheaply by a fiery Allan Donald at the peak of his playing career.

The dismissal brought Ramprakash to the crease. Christopher Martin-Jenkins, writing in The Daily Telegraph at the time, recounted the scene.

"Mark Ramprakash found himself entering the bullring in the most unnerving of circumstances.

"There was a crowd of 15,100, imposingly noisy, and there is no fiercer test in sport of a man's courage and temperament than to come in at number three against a fast bowler with his blood up."

Nine years on, Ramprakash recalls: "It was a very tough tour and immensely competitive.

"South Africans are very proud of their sporting achievements and, in their love of outdoor sports, have many similarities with Australians.

"As a place it's got fantastic beauty in some areas but like most places it has its problems with the history of the country.

Duncan Fletcher's guidance has assisted England enormously

"There are things that need to improve."

Although Ramprakash is confident about England's Test side, he is more concerned about the one-day team.

Inexperienced players like Alex Wharf and Ian Bell could have a tough task on their hands in the series of seven internationals in the New Year.

Ramprakash says: "We don't have a clear policy of how we are going to play the batting order, which changes consistently, as does the personnel.

"We are not getting the settled structure yet and the captain's form has been indifferent.

"Vikram Solanki made a brilliant hundred against South Africa at home, then got dropped after the Bangladesh tour. Now he's back in the side.

"They have been tinkering around quite a bit."

In England's favour for both the Tests and the one-dayers, however, is the current weakness of South Africa.

Ramprakash says: "They have lost the spearhead of Donald and one or two older members have retired. There's a slight change there."

Enough for South Africa to lose a home Test series to England for the first time since 1964-65? Quite possibly.