South African cricket is experiencing a revival and 2008 has been a dream season. In Test cricket, Graeme Smith has steered his squad past Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, New Zealand, the West Indies and England. No other team in 2008 has come anywhere near this record and if South Africa can go all the way and pip the Aussies in December, it could go down as by far the greatest season in Test cricket history for any team.

With that in mind, and with a steely determination to win their first series Down Under in 102 years of playing the Aussies, Proteas fans have prepared a list of 10 options for Graeme Smith to consider, 10 tricks to bring down the Australians, if you like...

1. Graeme Smith the spin doctor: Kevin Pietersen and Sachin Tendulkar have been seen with ball in hand but Smith is strangely shy about bowling. He is a useful spinner and has the wicket of Michael Hussey, no less. Not a bad scalp for a part-timer. Smith should milk the Aussies' dislike of him and properly rub their noses in it by opening the bowling in December. At the very least a couple of teasing overs in between could do considerable damage – Aussie pride is a fragile thing.

2. Herschelle Gibbs back in Tests: The ''bad boy'' of South African cricket has served his time for his off-field antics. His 175 off 111 balls is the greatest innings in ODI history and is testimony to the class of the lad. Brought into the Test squad at six or seven, he'll bolster the batting and be a master-blaster with Mark Boucher.

3. Monde Zondeki revealed: Shaun Pollock's protege is an unknown as far as the Aussies are concerned. He is geniunely quick and I'm betting he'll prove to be the Proteas' secret weapon.

4. Gunther Nel, the one-man duo: Andre Nel's Gunther alter ego only spoke German ahead of Tests in England and I think a bit of that might go a long way Down Under. Ricky Ponting might not be multilingual, but he does understand Gunther's German and South Africa's resident nutter has a special talent when it comes to unsettling behaviour. The man is certifiable.

5. Mark Boucher, the switch-hitting world record keeper: While watching Boucher practise this KP manoeuvre, I realised why he is the greatest gloveman-batsman in the business. The only wicketkeeper likely to top the 700 wicket mark in Tests (300 wickets more than Adam Gilchrist) and as the ''captain'' of a beefed up tail will guarantee 200 extra runs on the board. Perfecting his switch-hitting before Australia, he'll remind the Aussies why he's called The Enforcer!

6. Paul Harris – This jester is no fool: The cunning thing about Harris is how self-deprecating he can be, with a twinkle in his eye. The entire world is convinced he is rubbish, aren't they? Lose you're wicket to him, like Pietersen did (twice) and Freddie Flintoff did in the nPower series and YOU'RE suddenly a fools' fool. His send-off is classic, simply – 'Pay the jester!' Smith and Harris have a trick; watch the Aussies fall.

7. Run-a-ball SMAK Test cricket: Six runs an over from the Smith-McKenzie-Amla-Kallis (SMAK) top order. 600-plus scores Down Under mean only one thing - the Aussies get a hiding.

8. Graeme Smith, cricket's greatest tosser: Yeah, it's a bit of a laugh, but Smith wins an incredible 65 per cent of his tosses. It's a fact – the man is charmed! Winning 65 per cent of the tosses in Oz will be handy, won't it?

9. Double trouble – all-rounders add an extra man. Kallis is the best in the world: Ten wickets in England for Jacques Kallis proves he's the greatest all-rounder in Test cricket. He's the equivalent of TWO players in the squad. Morne Morkel is an up-and-comer, not shabby with the bat. If you add Gunther, that's a whopping 13-man squad! So it's actually 13 vs. 11 for the Proteas in Oz.

10. Young and old – the superiority of experience: In 2005 the Gilchrist-Warne-McGrath trio provided the experience in the Aussie squad. Boucher-Kallis-Ntini are the senior lads this time around. While Smith and Ponting go head to head, these old heads must gnaw away at the young Aussies.

The final trick up the Proteas' sleeve is in the preparation. I've learned through the grapevine that South African cricket has planted its spies in Oz to check out the pitch developments. A network of South Africans playing in Oz at the Gabba, the SCG, the Waca and in Adelaide etc. are constantly updating the Proteas' team management.

A final word of thanks for this 2008 season must go to Bangladesh. They have volunteered to be South Africa's ''sparring partners'' for this season. Before big performances they have come out to warm up Graeme Smith's lads three time this season - before India, England and now Australia. They've been a good omen.

Ready and loaded – Australia here we come!