Before the test series, the South Africans played four matches in the tri-nation ODI tournament with Australia and New Zealand.

[2] On the flip side, the South Africans competed in the 1993 Hero Cup in India with the same squad they were sending to the tour of Australia.

[4] One of the talking points that Rick Allen of The Sydney Morning Herald mentioned was Brett Schultz, who had taken twenty wickets in the Sri Lankan tour but a knee injury had forced him out of the series.

[5] In the preview to the test series, the media saw as a battle between the pace of South Africa and the spin duo of Warne and Tim May.

[6][7] The opening match of the tour for South Africa was against the Prime Minister's XI in Manuka Oval.

The Prime Minister's XI took home the victory by four runs over the South Africans, who still had some fitness worries leading into the match.

Batting first, the South Africans were bowled out for 261 on the opening day with Brian McMillan the top scorer with 55, while Victoria bowler, Damien Fleming took six wickets.

The youngster Brad Hodge was top scorer with 80 as Victoria lost four wickets for a single run before declaring on 8/330 only half an hour before lunch on the third day.

[18] The match would end in a draw, though, but not before Trevor Barsby almost scored a century as he fell one run short after falling leg before wicket to de Villiers.

After winning the toss, Australia got to 2/71 from the overs played during the first day with only Michael Slater and nightwatchman Shane Warne being the wickets to fall.

[31] The series' second test match saw changes only to the Australian side as they went with the same twelve players but with McGrath replacing Reiffel in the lineup.

[32] This was despite Brian McMillian testing his knee in the nets hoping for a call up to the team as he was picked as the 12th man.

[34] After surviving the first day on 1/20,[34] Australia slow-marched their way towards South Africa's score with Slater (92) being in a 104-run partnership with captain Allan Border (49) that took four hours.

South Africa wasn't without trouble with Wessels having to be on the field for a short while due to a dive from second slip as it split the webbing inside the hand.

[37] South Africa's she second innings saw some resistance with Kirsten and Cronje keeping Shane Warne away from wicket-taking opportunities.

Despite the injury to his hand, which would later rule him out of the rest of the series,[38] he defended his wicket for 41 minutes, getting South Africa to 2/94 by day's end.

[39] After an early collapse of 3/9 on the fourth day, Jonty Rhodes (76*) steadied the ship as he lasted three and a quarter hours, wearing down Warne and counter-attacking McDermott.

Only Mark Waugh avoided giving de Villiers his hat-trick when he clipped the ball to mid-wicket for a three.

[45][46] After winning the toss and electing to bat, Australian players Taylor, Slater and Boon all recorded half-centuries before getting out trying to raise the tempo of their innings.

[47] After ending the first day on 32, Steve Waugh played with impressive confidence on his way to 164 runs as he and Allan Border broke the Australian record for the fifth wicket partnership against South Africa with 208.

[50][51] Not forcing the follow on, the Australians struggled in the second innings with only Taylor (38) and Boon (38) resisting the South Africans as they limped to 6/124 before Border declared with 25 minutes after the third session of Day 4.

He finished ahead of fellow team-mate, Craig McDermott with South African pace bowler, Allan Donald rounding out the top three.