Ricky Ponting last night faced a grilling on his team's chequered disciplinary record as he tried to thaw frosty relations with South Africa.
Skipper Ponting and coach John Buchanan were met with fireworks from local reporters, who wanted to know whether discipline issues could boil over on the most confrontational tour in world cricket.
Three Australian players were charged with dissent for questioning umpiring decisions as tempers flared in the home series against South Africa this summer.
But the Australian brains trust insisted players would be on their best behaviour on tour, despite the prospect of being baited by abusive crowds and antagonised by South African players.
"Ricky and senior players have just reiterated some approaches. We are hoping we will leave the tour unscarred," Buchanan said.
If Australia needed any reminding of the need to be on its best behaviour -- both on and off the field -- it came this week when New South Wales Waratahs rugby union winger Wendell Sailor was sent home from South Africa for a boozy night.
The Waratahs are staying at the same Johannesburg hotel as the Australian one-day squad.
The squad arrived in Johannesburg yesterday to a subdued reaction with no incidents, although a small number of police were on hand in case of trouble.
Ponting played down talk of deep rifts between his players and the South Africans, trying to douse some flames sparked by Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.
"I wouldn't have thought there was any dislike between the teams," Ponting said.
"There was a lot spoken off the field in Australia but once the cricket was played it was in very good spirits."
Australia will go into battle without fast-bowling ace Glenn McGrath who is unlikely to tour because of his wife's cancer battle.
Ponting said a glimpse into life without McGrath had proved rosier than expected, praising fringe bowlers Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark.
"Someone like Glenn who's a world-class performer, it is always hard to find someone who's going to step in and do the job," Ponting said.
"But I couldn't really have been much happier with the way Bracken and Clark have grown and matured into really good international bowlers.
"That's been very pleasing, to have a bit of a look at them, and it's been a real bonus for us.
"Hopefully we will be able to have a look at Mitchell Johnson in a few games, which is going to hold the team in good stead going forward."
Meanwhile, volatile paceman Andre Nel has told South Africa's pitch doctors to go to work on preparing seaming Test wickets to nullify leg-spin king Shane Warne.
As the Australians flew into South Africa, they were warned to expect some chin music on spicy wickets made to order to counteract Warne.
The fiery Nel, the Proteas' self-confessed "angry man", insisted the home side could stun Australia in next month's three-Test series.
"The big difference is Shane Warne. If we can nullify him, we can beat them big time," Nel said.
"I just feel that one on one we can compete with them and that all the guys will be fit and focused on playing in front of our home crowds."
- BEN DORRIES