South Africa paceman Dale Steyn has warned the Sri Lanka batsmen that he is ready to make life difficult for them in Thursday’s first Test (S Africa 2/5, Sri Lanka 8/1, draw 3/1 Match Prices).

The Proteas will head into the opening Test in Centurion full of confidence having drawn their recent series with Australia and inflicted serious damage on the Aussie batsmen with their world-class attack.

Conversely, the Asians have not won a Test for nearly 18 months and it is more than two years since they last tasted victory in a five-day series (S Africa 7/4 3-0 Series Correct Score).

They have lost all three Test series in 2011 and were second best to a fairly ordinary Pakistan outfit last time out in the United Arab Emirates.

The Sri Lankans have always been good on their own patch in conditions that suit them but have struggled away from home and Steyn, who is widely regarded as the best fast bowler in world cricket at present, insists he has no intention of letting the opposition settle as he tries to put a marker down early on in the series.

“In the subcontinent, where these guys grow up, the ball hits the bat from the stickers down,” he said. “We want to hit the bat on areas that are unfamiliar for them and make them feel uncomfortable, like maybe a little higher up.”

Steyn will be backed-up by the excellent Morne Morkel, while Vernon Philander’s exploits against Australia look to have won him a place in the side to face Tillakaratne Dilshan’s men.