Proteas wicket-keeper/batter Ryan Rickelton.

Image: BackpagePix

After two bruising rounds, and both having suffered heavy blows to the jaw, South Africa and Australia head to Newlands this week for the final bout in the heavyweight Test series that is finely poised at 1-1.

Australia landed the first punch in Durban before Temba Bavuma hauled the Proteas off the canvas with a stirring counter in Gqeberha.

There is no world championship belt on offer in Cape Town, but the stakes are significant. Victory would give South Africa a second successive home series win over their arch-rivals and knock Australia off their World No 1 rankings perch. 

For a Proteas side that has repeatedly had to defend its status as World Test Champions, the prospect is tantalising. Even after dethroning Australia in last year’s World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s, the sceptics continued to dismiss them as “paper champions”.

Yet wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton is reluctant to look beyond the task at hand.

"When we won the WTC, Temba (Bavuma) spoke to us. It’s not just about this game. It’s about trying to leave a longer-lasting impression and trying to back that up. And to back that up, you have to beat some of the best teams in the world," Rickelton said.

"Australia, for a long period of time, have been the No 1 team in the world and a superior team as well.

"For us to even beat them in our conditions is massive. And if we had to go No 1 in the world, that’s great.

"But if we’re talking about the bigger picture, we’ve got a full home summer series. If those go according to plan, then we’ll eventually end up (at the WTC final) in London, hopefully in June.

"So ask me that question at the end of June. Hopefully, if we get to that game and win it, then my answer will be a more direct yes.

"For now, both teams are very evenly matched. Australia definitely, through recent history and maybe past history, have got a lot on us in world cricket. We’re just living to fight another day, and hopefully we can have a really good week this week.”

The 1-1 scoreline also mirrors the teams’ 2018 series, when they arrived in Cape Town having traded blows in Durban and Gqeberha.

Rickelton, who was not part of that contest, recognises the significance of the familiar scenario.

"We’re now sitting in a similar position of 1-1 coming into Cape Town, just as we were in 2018. So the confidence is there, as is the importance of it," he said.

"Sitting here at 1-1, coming into the last game of the series in Cape Town against a really good side, is something we would have taken. We’re looking forward to putting in a good performance.

"If we can get over the line this week, the confidence it injects into this side, the coaching staff and the way we do things is quite important for us.

"We don’t want to look too far into the future. We’ve got a job at hand here, and we’ve got to keep being consistent in the way that we approach these games."

The third and final Test gets underway on Tuesday.