Durban has been a happy home for Australia ahead of first Test

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]Australia[/a] have won their last three Tests there in 2006, 2009 and on the ill-fated 2018 tour, before which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/tUhlKzIm/"]South Africa[/a] had claimed a five-wicket win in 2002.[/p][p]In all, the teams have met at the venue on 11 occasions, with Australia winning six of those and South Africa three, with only two draws.[/p][p]Australia’s last three wins since 2006 have all come in similar fashion, winning the toss, batting first and claiming victory by 112, 175 and 118 runs respectively.[/p][p]On a wicket expected to take turn, who bats first could again be crucial, making the toss possibly a decisive factor in this game.[/p][p]Aside from their 2002 win, achieved by five wickets, South Africa claimed back-to-back victories over the tourists by eight wickets and an innings and 129 runs in 1967 and 1970, when they had the better of the Australians.[/p][embed guid="ab183053-d8e4-4cdd-a67c-784e466e7360" url="https://x.com/ProteasMenCSA/status/2107004736742334667?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]South Africa looked good for a win in 1994 before Mark Waugh (113 not out) and Allan Border (42 not out) put on an unbeaten 140 for the fifth wicket to halt their victory march.[/p][p]It is statistically Australia’s second-favourite ground in South Africa after Newlands, where they have won 10 of their 14 Tests and there has never been a draw. They have also won six out of 12 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, while their least-favourite venue is St George’s Park in Gqeberha, scene of the second Test before the series finishes in Cape Town.[/p][p]Australia have a 55% win record in Durban and have lost 27% of the time, while their overall win rate in South Africa at all venues is 54%, with a loss rate of 30%.[/p][p]The disastrous 2018 tour that saw them lose three Tests in a row after ‘Sandpapergate’ at Newlands started, at least, with a win … in Durban.[/p][p] [/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]