Proteas set to launch new era in Test series against West Indies

South Africa's Test series against the West Indies, which starts at SuperSport Park on Tuesday, could hardly be more low-key but it has the potential to launch a new era for the country's Test team.

New coach Shukri Conrad has already stamped his authority on the team, appointing Temba Bavuma as the new captain - the first black African to skipper the Test team - and clearing out several players who were found wanting in losing series in England and Australia.

The Test series has had minimal build-up in a South African season which has been dominated by Twenty20 cricket.

There was the first SA20 franchise tournament, which was a crowd-pulling success, and the Women's T20 World Cup in which South Africa reached the final, hugely lifting the profile of women's cricket.

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The two matches against the West Indies are the only two Tests scheduled for the South African summer after Cricket South Africa took a decision to prioritise the SA20.

The series is part of the World Test championship but the Proteas are no longer in contention for a place in the final after being heavily beaten in Australia, which in turn was followed by India climbing up the standings in their home series against the Australians.

Unlike the white ball games, the series is not expected to pack the grounds in Centurion and Johannesburg.

With the first Test starting on a Tuesday and the second on a Wednesday - and given the trend for matches to end in three or four days - there are no guarantees that there will be any significant action over the weekends.

Nor does the prospect of a series against the West Indies stir the blood as it did in the days of the teams led by Clive Lloyd and