How long will South Africa be no.1 for?

[GotSpin]

Backing them to lose here, Ponting to score consecutive tons in Brisbane and Adelaide (on the back of 5+ for tWatto) before generously breaking a finger and allowing them to win in Perth.

Not wrong

 

[Jono]

Looking forward to the C9 commentators following in the footsteps of Sky and not rating Philander.

 

[kyear2]

They are certainly the best team in the world right now, with an excellent top 5, the best bowling attack in the world and the best cordon since the Aussies of the mid 00's. How long they will remain #1 is anyones guess, but they are more deserving of the top spot than the last two holders.

 

[Contra]

India lasted a year and a half, England lasted a year, dunno about SA tbh. I think their rating margin is a lot less than it was for India and England when they were at the top. So it's gonna be much tougher for them.

 

[vic_orthdox]

A lot will depend on how they go at home, the past 3 years or so has only seen them win one series but they do seem to do better abroad.

Haven't got a clue tbh, could get knocked off quickly or could last a couple of years, will heavily depend on the form of England, Australia & India in the next year.

I guess the thing is that they do have that sort of room for improvement - I think it's easier to see them improving their home record than India/England improving their away record at the moment. Although England won't get a better chance to come across India, tbf. In terms of ranking points and all that.

Australia will continue to be bipolar.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Looking forward to the C9 commentators following in the footsteps of Sky and not rating Philander.

Oh god, its going to be painful.

 

[Spark]

I'm gonna go with the same as I did with England - short-to-medium term, as the top sides will probably continue to rotate - but SA do have the quality to make it longer. Depends on when Kallis goes, I guess, and whether Philander continues to be h4x at Test cricket.

 

[vic_orthdox]

What interests me is how SA will balance their bowling attack when Kallis goes. Tahir is, no doubt in my mind, the right option for SA with a five man attack, but will the fingerspinners come back into pay when Kallis goes? Or will the security of JP Duminy's offspinners mean that Tahir will be persevered with?

 

[morgieb]

It's South Africa...it won't hold up long.

 

[Ruckus]

Given the small point lead atm, there might be one or two rotations with Eng, or maybe even Aus, but I think overall they'll occupy the no.1 spot for a longer period of time. More than say two years ahead though, it's hard to predict because a lot depends on how 'new-look' teams like Aus and India end up. India look like they have some decent batting prospects, but once again with them it's going to be a matter of whether they can find a bowling attack to compliment that. Don't think the old way of relying on dominance at home with a strong batting line up will be enough to send them to the top again anytime soon with a team like this SA one around. That's assuming India will be able to maintain a strong a batting line up anyway - something that's by no means a given. It actually wouldn't surprise me that much if India really hit rock bottom (relatively) in the next few years. It's basically just an inverse situation with Aus too. Good bowling prospects, but lacking batting ones atm. And like India it could really go either way.

 

[Valer]

Hmm if they beat australia in the next series I doubt we'll see much change till the 2014-15 summer, looking at the FTP.

If its a draw I'd suggest its going to be very volatile.

 

[Jono]

That's assuming India will be able to maintain a strong a batting line up anyway - something that's by no means a given.

It's okay they're cloning this little champ.

 

[Xuhaib]

Not for long, they face Misbah at home in Jan/Feb nobody stuffs Misbah.

NOBODY!

 

[Xuhaib]

on a serious note Herath and Bhajji won a test each for their sides last time out in Sa am I being too optimistic in thinking that Ajmal & Rehman can atleast get us a drawn series ofcourse Pakistan is a weaker batting side in SL and Ind.

 

[uvelocity]

nice edit jono, lucky I found the original

 

[Jono]

Best kid. Look at the bow tie, was a fashion idol from the very start.

 

[theegyptian]

back to back ashes series makes it that if either team(eng or aus) dominates both of them they're likely to pick up a load of points and presumably go to the top of the rankings.

 

[MW1304]

He even looks like a **** as a baby tbh.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

back to back ashes series makes it that if either team(eng or aus) dominates both of them they're likely to pick up a load of points and presumably go to the top of the rankings.

This, if we do it and beat NZ home and away as well we may be back to the top whatever we do against India. Might be a dodgy way to become number 1 again but wouldn't complain.

Can actually see it changing hands between us and SA quite often over the next 2-3 years. Fancy us beating Australia to knock them out of it for a while.

 

[smash84]

Not for long, they face Misbah at home in Jan/Feb nobody stuffs Misbah.

NOBODY!

we travel to SA in Jan for 3 test matches?