Graeme Smith?s task looks relatively simple. Take a strong South African line-up and smash a rather ordinary-looking England side in the upcoming one-day internationals.

The perfect recipe some would say, but the last time these two sides met, the South Africans came unstuck against an England side that capitalized on some poor South African bowling and then put in a very good bowling performance against a formidable Proteas batting lineup. The rest as they say, is history.

The battle lines have been drawn, plans have been formulated and players selected. But just where will the crucial battles be fought? Let?s take a closer look.

After a lean spell that saw him battle with injuries and indifferent bowling form, Dale Steyn will be relishing the chance to strike the early blow against the English, all the while getting back to the kind of form he showed against the Australians earlier this year. And against England captain, Andrew Strauss, he will be facing an opponent who is currently in good form. The conservative left-hand opener, though, will certainly be tested by the pace and aggression that Steyn will bring to the game, as the South Africans look to remove one of the key run scorers in the England side relatively early on.

This contest will probably be one of the more fascinating battles to watch as Jacques Kallis pits his bowling experience against the aggression of Kevin Pietersen. KP though is coming off a long injury lay-off and while his attacking instincts may not dulled, his overall match fitness is still in question. That won?t deter the Englishman, though, when he comes up against the wily Kallis. The South African may not bowl as many overs as he used to, but he is still capable of surprising batsmen with his deceptively quick, swinging deliveries. The battle of wills should be equally engaging to watch, with KP looking to stamp his authority on South Africa?s premier player.

The Proteas vice-captain has done a solid job as the spinner that gets South Africa through the middle overs of an innings. While he doesn?t turn the ball prodigiously, he more than makes up for that with his accuracy and his variations of flight and speed. He has proven to be quite effective in putting the squeeze on batsmen and stemming the flow of runs somewhat. His opponent, Paul Collingwood, is as gritty as they come. Armed with a good array of shots, Collingwood is always looking to score runs around the wicket and isn?t averse to resorting to the unorthodox to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Just how he goes about picking up runs against Botha will be reason enough to watch this duel.

Parnell v Prior:

South Africa?s new kid on the block has made something of name for himself bowling at the death of an innings. At only 20, the left-hander has the smarts to vary his lengths and pace to keep big-hitting batsmen guessing. And against England?s big-hitting wicketkeeper, Matt Prior, he?ll need those smarts to keep Prior quiet.

Smith v Anderson:

Graeme Smith is one of cricket?s most destructive batsmen and he will be looking to visit some destruction on the English bowling attack. Ruthless and clinical against bad bowling, Smith doesn?t need a second invitation to get his innings going. England quick James Anderson would be well advised to keep his wayward tendencies to a minimum and not hand Smith any opportunities to keep the scoreboard ticking over. While Anderson has a wealth of ODI experience, one still gets the feeling that he hasn?t quite lived up to his bowling potential at international level. Regarded as one of England?s better swing bowlers, he often looks ineffective when he can?t get the ball to swing.

Kallis v Onions:

Kallis has stepped into the role as an ODI opener with the ease and grace of executing one of his cover drives. He has the time he needs to get his eye in and play with his accustomed efficiency, but he has also added an aggression to his batting that makes him a joy to watch. England bowler Graham Onions will have his work cut out in trying to contain Kallis. Onions is relatively new to the ODI scene and it will be a case of learning on the trot against one of the world?s best batsman for Onions.

Duminy v Swann:

JP Duminy has had a breakthrough year with the Proteas, impressing against Australia, the IPL and in the recent T20 Champions League. In between there have been indifferent displays, but he seems to have found form again and in good time too. Calm under pressure, Duminy manages to make run-scoring seem effortless, especially when he pulls off those unorthodox shots. The calmness, though belies the aggressiveness that he displays when it?s time to launch. Against England spinner Graeme Swann, Duminy will face someone who can turn the ball appreciably but who also has a mean variation of speed and flight. Swann also has the street smarts to make this contest worth watching.

Morkel v Broad:

Albie Morkel has made a name for himself as the big-hitter down the order for South Africa. The only problem with this, is that he needs a few overs to settle in before he is able to clobber the ball around the park. The Proteas? game plan seems to involve getting Morkel in to bat during the batting power play at the death, but this tactic has usually seen Morkel come in under huge pressure to launch as soon as he gets to the crease. While he doesn?t seem to fear taking on the bowlers, he is vulnerable in those overs he needs to settle in, which someone like Stuart Broad could exploit. Broad has made huge strides for England over the last few months, becoming more consistent overall and has learned to channel his aggression into his bowling. Armed with good pace and a mean bouncer, Broad could pose Morkel some problems when the pressure is on.

The Barmy Army wins this one hands down. Cheerful and colorful, especially after a few days in the African sun, the English supporters are always in good voice no matter if they?re winning or losing.

The home crowds, in comparison, are a dour bunch. The only exception being St. George?s Park where the presence of the band always lends a party atmosphere to any game that gets played there.