Newlands is set to provide a more even contest between South Africa and Pakistan when the second Test starts on Thursday (10.30am).
After putting in only a two-and-half day shift to give SA a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series at Centurion Park, the Proteas bowling attack are expecting a tougher time in the Mother City.
On Wednesday, Cricket South Africa reported that Newlands groundsman Evan Flint said that the bounce in the Pretoria track will not be the same in the traditionally flatter Cape.
And Kagiso Rabada and company are expected to work a fair bit harder for the 20 wickets required to seal the series here.
They will be boosted, though, by the return of Newlands maestro Vernon Philander from injury, but it remains undecided whether first Test hero Duanne Olivier (11/96) will be consigned to the drinks duty.
There has also been speculation that South Africa could field an all-pace attack with left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj instead being handed the orange bib, but after having inspected the pitch yesterday, the Proteas’ brains trust may have to rethink their strategy.
And Rabada says: “We have been talking about the pitch already.
"We just made a joke with Evan that it looks a bit dull, and in a way that it might just be five days here.
“We will have to see, it looks a good wicket. Newlands is always a good wicket. It is always a fair contest between bat and ball.”