Johan Botha believes a good start will be crucial in South Africa's bid to complete a memorable tour double against England.

The 26-year-old is one of the Proteas' limited-overs specialists aiming to replicate the success of the Test campaign.

But not everything has run smoothly since the tourists swapped their whites for one-day green.

South Africa are rated second in the world in the one-day game but they have seen their practice restricted mostly to indoor nets by the weather.

They also tripped up against the England Lions in Derby while England have generated momentum after a win in the final npower Test, which reduced the series defeat to 2-1.

"The first two games are going to be important," Botha said, ahead of Friday`s NatWest Series opener at Headingley.

"If we can set it up early and take a lead I am sure the confidence should take us through to the end and we can win the series."

Botha, who is his country's first-choice spinner in the shorter forms of the game, transformed himself from a journeyman medium-pacer on the advice of current South Africa coach Mickey Arthur and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

But his career took a jolt when he was cited for a suspect bowling action on his Test debut against Australia at Sydney in January 2006.

He subsequently spent 18 months out of international cricket undergoing remedial work but returned for South Africa last October.

"It definitely strengthened me a lot mentally," Botha explained.

"During that period I had to really think about my bowling and be really on my game so that if something didn't feel right with my bowling I knew what it was.

"That helped me to groove my action and feel my action a bit more, so I can work it out if something goes wrong."

Botha's ability to bowl the doosra got him noticed in domestic cricket but he has not been able to add the 'flicker' delivery, which Sri Lanka sensation Ajantha Mendis has bamboozled batsmen with this year.

Mendis fizzes the ball off the pitch with a snap of his fingers and his vast armoury of spin has thus far reaped 26 Test wickets in three outings against India and 25 one-day victims in 10 matches.

"I have watched quite a bit of him - I was at home during the Test series here, so I watched the first two Tests," Botha said.

"He is very interesting and good to watch. The Indian guys so far haven't really got a clue what to do with him. I have tried to flick the ball out like that but it just slips out.

"I am not sure how to do it, I never thought about it before but Robin Peterson is trying to bowl it now and he can flick it out like that.

"It was the same thing when Muttiah Muralitharan and Saqlain Mushtaq came onto the scene with their doosras. If you can come up with a new ball I suppose it is a good one."

South Africa plan to train outdoors in Leeds today, and although all-rounder Albie Morkel (shoulder) is not expected to be fit for the series opener, they are hoping his fast-bowling brother Morne Morkel (side strain) comes through unscathed.