We finish with cricket as South Africa and Pakistan will go head-to-head in the first test of the 3-match test series at Centurion. The clash will be a rare occasion as it will take place inland instead of on the coast as in the past, and will see the Proteas begin their journey to reclaim the number one ranking, while Pakistan will be aiming to win their first test in South Africa for over 10 years. CGTN's Sias du Plessis has more.

South Africa's international season officially gets underway on Boxing Day against an unpredictable Pakistan in what promises to be a hard-fought series between two talented teams, the home side are without bowlers Vernon Philander and Lungi Ndigi, but captain Faf du Plessis believes that the series will be decided by the batsmen and not so much the bowlers.

FAF DU PLESSIS SOUTH AFRICA CRICKET CAPTAIN "It is the same thing as every team coming here, if your batters can do well, then you have a chance but for us obviously we see that as an opportunity as well, Pakistan does have an opportunity there, if you can get them in trouble early on there is a little something there in the middle order you can work with so it is just about making sure, hopefully we start well and put some doubts early in the series."

Veteran fast bowler Dale Steyn requires just one more wicket to surpass Shaun Pollock's long-standing record of 421 test wickets to become the rainbow nation's leading wicket taker, but the 35-year-old was quick to shift the focus onto the test instead of his pending personal achievement.

DALE STEYN SOUTH AFRICA FAST BOWLER "I have said for many times now I think I have got a lot more wickets in me than just one more so I haven't saved up myself to take one more than 'Polly' (Shaun Pollock), there is a big goal or life plan at the end of the day so I think it will just be a beautiful thing to happen for me."

The man known as the 'Phalaborwa Express' says the goal will be to reclaim the number one test ranking, but knows the Proteas who have held top spot in the past, will need to be clinical and show some killer instinct to achieve that goal.

DALE STEYN SOUTH AFRICA FAST BOWLER "If things go according to plan for us and we go 3-0 up and things don't go according to plan for say, India in Australia, there is a big chance that we could be the number one test team in the world at the end of this summer, Sri Lanka come here and I think we owe them a little bit from the series we had there so to win 5 test matches on home soil would be the ultimate goal."

SIAS DU PLESSIS JOHANNESBURG "The much-anticipated first test will see two teams at contrasting stages in their development, the Proteas chasing the number one test spot, while Pakistan are a team rebuilding and if history is anything to go by, South Africa should be comfortable winners based on the fact Pakistan have only won two test matches ever on South African soil, the last one coming back in 2006, Sias du Plessis, CGTN, Centurion."