A series in England should be a highlight on any cricket fan's calendar, but the Proteas' dream season has downgraded England (by South African supporters in any event) to a bland filler between a hot India tour (drawn 1-1) and bringing down the Aussies on their home soil in December. Having steadily climbed to number one in the ICC one-day rankings, South Africa are targeting a similar position in Tests by early 2009.

In order to achieve this lofty goal as double champions (or even triple champions with Twenty20s) they must dig deep and undo the Australians in Australia. This has been the cherry on the 2008 cake. A gambling man will tell you South Africa have everything to lose in England and nothing to gain. South Africa, who ironically have slipped down the ICC Test rankings thanks to England's underwhelming Kiwi conquests of 2008, will do well to limit player fatigue prior to the all important Down Under tour and a lengthy English tour isn't doing them any favours.

The Proteas are a cut above Michael Vaughan's hapless Kiwi counter-punchers and are not amused by the prospects of being pipped by an upset on English soil. Man for man, Graeme Smith's men are more experienced, quicker, sharper and more talented (in the field, with ball in hand and at the crease) than the English, who you would have to say are gambling on home advantage to secure an upset.

What a bitter pill it would turn out to be should South Africa squander their talent advantage on the English who you can be sure will throw the kitchen sink at downing them at home.

Avoiding English trip-up tactics and ducking the kitchen plumbing might be nigh on impossible and Smith will no doubt have to leave England, win or lose, more battle scarred than he will have liked before squaring up to the Aussies.

Let's hope the lads can duck and weave the British press, a squad of bitter losers, terrible sad grumpy commentators and shoulder-charging antics from James Anderson and their unsporting captain, uncourageous Paul Collingwood.