KEY POINTS:
South Africa's ambition to be the best cricketing nation in the world extends well beyond collecting the handful of ranking points they need to tip Australia from the top of both ICC tables.
While the chance to claim No 1 spot in one day cricket will present itself in Perth on Friday, the Proteas are looking more intently towards maintaining a longer term upward curve when they return home.
Captain Johan Botha and batsman Hashim Amla have both expressed the view that further series wins over Australia in South Africa would mean far more than the cosmetic achievement of snatching the No 1 ranking this week, a notional mantle the Australians can then take back by beating a weak New Zealand team at home.
"I don't think [ICC rankings] are a major thing for us, especially since there could be changes for our last match," Amla said yesterday.
"We are a team who are a work in progress. If we do win and go No 1 it would be something we'd certainly treasure, but it's not our main concern."
Asked if becoming the best was about more than rankings data, Amla responded: "Yeah, that is exactly it. The ranking is an indication for sure, but as a team we set our own standards, our own personal standards and I think that's taking the primary focus and so far it's worked quite well."
To that end, pace spearheads Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini, plus injury-affected allrounder Jacques Kallis, are all likely to be rested in Perth in order to ensure they are at their freshest next month.
Amla forecast a tremendous wellspring of anticipation in South Africa for the first touring side to arrive
home having beaten Australia in
one, let alone two, away series.
"There is going to be expectation, cricket's taken a huge boost from our performances here," he said.
"I think when we get back we certainly will try to keep our feet on the ground.
"Everybody in our team has been through patches to make them realise they have to."
Home skipper Ricky Ponting's respect for the South Africans has certainly grown over the summer, and after losing the limited overs series with an ugly eight-wicket defeat at Adelaide Oval on Australia Day he admitted the tourists had been much too good in all the big moments.
"Some of the things they've achieved in the last 12 months in test cricket didn't surprise me, they've played some terrific test and one day cricket," Ponting said.
"They've been a very, very good side in both forms of the game for a long time and I knew they'd be prepared for us.
"Everyone wants to pit themselves against the best team in the world and they've certainly come out to Australia and proved they are a quality team in both forms of the game."
- AAP
