South Africa's cricketers are coming, and they're closing fast.
But Ricky Ponting does not believe the Proteas would deserve Test cricket's No.1 ranking, even if they did become the first side since the West Indies of 1992-93 to beat Australia in a series in their own backyard.
That is, unless they could pull off the unthinkable and win the series in a 3-0 whitewash.
Ponting said Australia deserved to hang on to their No.1 ranking regardless of the result of the coming series, which begins in Perth on December 17.
"It has taken us a long time and a lot of great wins in different conditions around the world to get us to that No.1 spot," the Australian skipper said on Thursday.
"If South Africa beat us 3-0 I don't know if that gives them enough points to get over us.
"But if they won the series 1-0 or 2-1, I don't think that would mean that they deserve to take over that mantle.
"It's a bit the same with India (beating Australia in the) last series.
"Just because they beat us, the No.1 team, (it) doesn't necessarily mean they go from the No.4 or No.5 in the world to No.1 in the world, because it's something that's accrued over a long period of time."
South Africa have cause for optimism entering this series, having surged up the rankings table over the past two years.
Graeme Smith's side began 2007 in sixth place in the Test rankings, yet finished the year in second, although 32 ranking points behind Australia.
The gap is now 13 points, and series wins in Australia and South Africa over the next four months could produce the game's first major de-throning since Mark Taylor's side became the best in the world by beating the West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995.
The Proteas' assault this summer will be based on a clutch of in-form batsmen and a lively pace attack headed by strike bowler Dale Steyn.
But South Africa have never beaten Australia (home or away) in eight series following their re-admission into international cricket after the end of the apartheid era.
Meanwhile, Ponting predicted player workload, pay structure and sponsor appearances to be the major issues up for discussion when talks begin on a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Australia's best players.
Although keen to play as many internationals as he could, Ponting said it was inevitable that player workloads needed addressing given the jammed nature of cricket's scheduling, made even tighter by the boom in Twenty20 tournaments.
He said finding the right workload for players would be the "major challenge" for Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers' Association to reach when they begin talks shortly.
Also in focus will be the number of compulsory appearances made by CA-contracted players.
Under the present MOU, players are required to make 22 appearances for CA sponsors every year, but players reportedly want that figure reduced.
