y night to the insurers denial of the claim.A furious Eels administrator Max Donnelly told News Corp: Its outrageous!Why the

Not a single South African player knows what it is to lose a Test series in Australia. Not a single Australian player knows what it is to win a home series against South Africa. For a pair of transitional teams, that is a significant fact.Add to it another: Australia have been clean swept in their most recent Test series in Sri Lanka, then swept again - by the Proteas no less - in an ODI series in South Africa. Throw in a pair of underdone Australian pacemen, a porous middle order and a fielding side far less formidable than many who went before them, and the picture is clear: this is not going to be easy for the hosts.South Africa, of course, are not the side they were. For the first time in more than a decade they are not being led to Australia by the commanding figure of Graeme Smith. AB de Villiers isnt here, and Morne Morkel is not yet 100% fit. But there is a sense of regeneration about the side, of setting new goals and forming a new identity. In junior years Faf du Plessis was often captain of the same teams de Villiers played in. Having gained his chance through injury, du Plessis, first seen by Australians with his serenely dead bat in Adelaide four years ago, now looks a natural leader.For Steven Smith, this is the series in which he faces a first major test at home. Well as he and his teams have performed against India, New Zealand and the West Indies, those sides boasted not a single series win down under between them over the past 23 years. South Africas methods are suited to Australia, much as the reverse is true on the other side of the Indian Ocean. Smith has taken solace in a wider record of home success - unbeaten since the Proteas last visit in 2012.Traditionally we have played well at home and its about us knowing what we do well here, he said. We have scored big first innings runs and that is going to be crucial for us this year again.Bowling aggressively to the tail, not being afraid to get it up there and intimidate them a little bit. To the top order consistently bowl good areas and challenge them on wickets that traditionally bounce a bit more than they are used to. It is important for us to do that this summer.Obviously we havent come off the back of much great cricket, South Africa was disappointing and Sri Lanka was as well, thats gone, weve left that behind and we are focusing on what we have can control now and that is this summer.Much talk has centred upon the mental battle, whether it be Dale Steyns familiar refrain about cutting the head off the snake in reference to Smith, or David Warner hoping to see the visitors pacemen losing their collective rag with a flurry of short balls at the WACA Ground. Smith has reiterated his desire to see his men strut around the middle like they own the place, not retreating into themselves as happened in Sri Lanka.Its about making sure that each individual can get the best out of themselves and have a presence about them, Smith said. Everyone does it differently, for someone it might be about getting into a verbal contest with a bowler to get themselves going. Or with a batter as a bowler.For me I dont like to say a great deal its more about making sure that my body language is right and Im puffing my chest out and looking like Im out there and I own the place. Its about each individual knowing what gets them going, and when they do that its going to be best for the team as well.For well over a decade, that approach tended to unnerve the South Africans in Australia. Both sides knew who had the edge when matches reached their pointy end, and it was the team of Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. But du Plessis leads a generation unfamiliar with that kind of mental block: as uncomfortable as the Australians will try to make things for the visitors, they will know how to push back effectively. We are a team that respects the opposition, no matter where we go in the world, du Plessis said. If its gets to a tough stage in the game, which is what Test cricket is all about, and it gets a bit loud out there in the middle, its just about soaking it in and understanding that you have to work your way to get the momentum on your side again.Thats Test cricket, thats normal for me. I think thats more the thing people forget to focus on, that Test cricket is like that. Its up and down. Then you are on top, then you are under pressure and you just got to soak it up and ride the wave until it gets on your side to put some pressure on the opposition.But the most pivotal factor in this series, and its opening match at the WACA, will be Mitchell Starc. Starc knows it, South Africa know it and Australia most certainly know it. Still nursing a deep cut to the left leg from a training mishap, Starc will push through some discomfort to try to be near his best and fastest. Smith said he will likely be using his most explosive asset in short bursts a la Mitchell Johnson.Id say there is a good chance of that, Smith said. He has traditionally done pretty well here at the WACA, I thought he bowled beautifully last year on a slow benign wicket, I would prefer this one to have some more pace and bounce to assist him out there.The Proteas are braced for impact, knowing that the ability to see out his spells will more than likely tell the tale. He is a fantastic bowler, du Plessis said. A guy that swings the ball and bowls quick, any captain would say thats something they would want in their team. Its important for us to make sure he doesnt get his tail up and doesnt get wickets. That would mean we put a big threat for Australia aside.Its important how we play him. If were going to win this series its going to be how well weve played him in those short bursts. Hes a wicket-taker so he needs to come on and get wickets. We as a team understand that. We need to make sure we get through those periods.Happy history down under should make a difference to the Proteas, and recent failures will trouble Australia. It remains to be seen how much all that will matter in the fraction of a second it takes for Starcs missiles to reach the other end of the pitch.Wholesale Sneakers From China . LOUIS -- St. Balenciaga Outlet . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. http://www.outletsneakersclearance.com/fake-air-jordan.html . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. Vapormax Clearance . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Fake Air Max 90 China . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off.Insurer QBE has reportedly declined a $1.2 payout over Anthony Watmoughs career-ending knee injury, leaving Parramatta to pay out the remainder of his NRL contract.News Corp Australia is reporting QBE has deemed the knee injury that ended the veterans career - barely 12 months into his four-year Eels deal - was pre-existing.Faced with paying out Watmoughs contract for the next two seasons, Parramatta reacted angrily on Thursday night to the insurers denial of the claim.A furious Eels administrator Max Donnelly told News Corp: Its outrageous!Why the hell do we have insurance?If Parramatta end up funding Watmoughs contract, it will leave the club a record $11 million-plus in the red for the 2016 season.The only encouraging news for the Eels is that the NRL sayss the former Manly forwards payout will not be included in the 2017 and 2018 salary caps, despite QBEs ruling, leaving them free to pursue marquee players.ddddddddddddA NRL spokesman said QBEs decision did not override the leagues ruling in May that Watmoughs injury was career-ending.If we determine a player has suffered a career-ending injury, we can exclude that players payments from the salary cap.The Watmough insurance claim is believed to have been the first potential seven-figure payout for a players career-ending injury since QBE became the insurer for the top 25 players at each club in 2014 after the Alex McKinnon tragedy. ' ' '