They call the Wanderers the 'Bullring,' and it is not difficult to compehend why. Even empty, it almost closes in on you when you are out in the middle, the oppressive heat and the closeness of the stands leaving you weak-kneed.
Packed to the rafters, with music blaring and the non-stop cacophony that is such a feature of this venue, it is an intimidating proposition, an imposing cricketing venue that can test the toughest of individuals. It is at this cauldron that the Twenty20 World Cup will usher in its inaugural match on Tuesday evening.
A solid, stolid South African side will take its first step towards shedding its tag of chokers at big events as it squares off against a West Indan outfit that has seemingly made the transition to the post-Brian Lara era. It's a repeat of the 2003 World Cup opener at the same venue, when Lara buried home aspirations under an innings of subliminal grace. Whether the result will be same minus Lara, only time will tell.
For all the haste with which World Championship status has been conferred on international cricket's most condensed version, the Twenty20 game is still in its infancy. Favourite-picking is a hazardous task, particularly with most teams playing less than five matches of this thrill-a-second format.
West Indies have fallen on bad times in Test cricket, where the gulf in class almost always stands brutally exposed, but they are a lot more at home in the limited-overs version. The unpredictable nature of this format is in sync with the unpredictability that has characterised West Indian cricket in recent times. Ramnaresh Sarwan's men will fancy their chances in the Cup opener, particularly given that they bring some momentum with them after surprising New Zealand in a warm-up game in Benoni on Sunday.
Daren Powell's extraordinary figures of three for four from four overs set up their 36-run win over the Kiwis, but West Indies' buoyancy will be tempered by the fact that on the same day, the Proteas crushed Australia by eight wickets, in Centurion. Not for the first time, Graeme Smith led from the front with a bruising 89, while the vastly talented but largely underachieving AB de Villiers provided the finishing touches with a 35-ball unbeaten 65.
Twenty20 cricket, as the above stats wll testify, is not just about big hits and huge strokes. There is a place for bowlers too, especially wicket-taking ones, but flat tracks, boundary ropes brought in and the framing of rules all point to a domination of bat over ball, even this early in the season in South Africa.
No less a performer than Shaun Pollock, boasting one of the best economy rates ever, has stated that the Twenty20 game could drive bowlers to depression. Coming from an accomplished veteran, that's a frightening pronouncement, though some of the less experienced and more feisty bowlers hold a totally different point of view.
The big hitters will be licking their lips in anticipation, though South Africa will rue the absence through a back injury of Loots Bosman. An inconsistent performer in the 50-over game, Bosman is an out and out specialist, a clean striker of the ball who boasts the first hundred in representative Twenty20 cricket. Bosman's absence has paved the way for a call-up as replacement of paceman Andre Nel, whose naked aggression is a key weapon South Africa have shrewdly used to get under the opposition's skin. Rocked they might be by the controversy surrounding Jacques Kallis' 'resting' from the competition, but South Africa have shown in the past that they possess the resilience to tide over crises.
There is some doubt over the availability of Chris Gayle, that wonderfully destructive stroke-maker and more than handy off-spinner. The Caribbean opener is carrying a finger injury, and retired hurt during the win against the Kiwis on Sunday. In his first international as skipper since returning home early from the England tour in May with a shoulder injury, Sarwan will be desperately hoping that his deputy recovers sufficiently for a clash that should set the tone for the rest of the competition.
Teams (from):
South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Gulam Bodi, AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Justin Kemp, Mark Boucher, Albie Morkel, Vernon Philander, Johan van der Wath, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Thandi Tshabalala, Morne Morkel, Andre Nel.
West Indies: Ramnaresh Sarwan (capt), Chris Gayle, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Devon Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Narsingh Deonarine, Ronako Morton, Denesh Ramdin, Daren Powell, Darren Sammy, Pedro Collins, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul.
Umpires: Daryl Harper (Australia) and Mark Benson (England). Third umpire: Nigel Llong (England). Match referee: Chris Broad (England).