South Africa can eclipse Australia as the leading Test-playing nation with victory in the third and final Test which begins in Sydney on Saturday. The visitors took a 2-0 series lead with a nine-wicket triumph at the MCG and are looking to inflict Australia’s even home whitewash in 122 years. Some of the key players of the Australia’s are injured, which force them to feature one of their most inexperienced attacks. Andrew McDonald plus Doug Bollinger or Ben Hilfenhaus will make their debuts.

Having lost the final two Tests in India, Australia recovered to win both matches of the home series against New Zealand, but face the very real prospect of their first whitewash down under since 1887-88. Australia have been the official world number one team for all but eight months of the last 13 years.

“We’ve had an amazing run as a team. We have dominated world cricket for a long period of time,” said Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

“We’ve all got to remain upbeat. There’s no time for panic or as (chief selector) Andrew Hilditch said, chop and change

“I’m still very positive and very sure that with some of these younger guys coming on that in a few years time we can get back up there and be dominating world cricket once again.”

“That’s something I’ve got to step up and do now. I still think we’re a very strong side even though we’ve got a lot of young guys in the team.”

Meanwhile, the South Africans are determined to press for the clean sweep.

Batsman Ashwell Prince, who has missed both matches in the series with a thumb injury and rates his chances of being fit for Sydney at 60%, says the winning mentality is important ahead of the return series beginning in Johannesburg on 26 February.

“Momentum is important and we certainly don’t want to give it back to them,” he said.
Referring to the series against England when they lost the final Test at The Oval to make their winning margin 2-1, he said: “We don’t want to make the same mistakes again, and this third Test is obviously important for the rest of the summer.

“We still have three Tests to play against them at home and to win this Test will obviously keep the momentum with us.” Australia have a fine record against the South Africans at the Sydney Cricket Ground, winning seven and losing just one of the 10 matches between the teams played there since 1910.

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