Currently the number one ODI side, South Africa will hope to maintain status quo while Australia would be seeking a coup when the sides cross sword in the five-match ODI series starting in Durban later this week.
The hosts under Graeme Smith will go into the opening match at Kingsmead, Durban as the current holders of the number-one spot in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship.
The series, however, offers Ricky Ponting's men a chance to knock the Proteas off the top spot and reclaim the lost glory but it would require nothing short of a series win to achieve that, according to an ICC release in Dubai on Thursday.
If Smith's side was to win the series 5-0 it would cement its place at the top of the table by a further six points and if it wins with a margin of four wins or three wins, it would still maintain its top spot.
Should the series feature a tie and then each side wins two matches each, the South Africans will still keep the top ranking but will only be one point ahead of Australia.
Down the table, the West Indies and England play their final ODI on Friday in St Lucia but neither side's rankings will alter no matter who is victorious.
In the ODI batsmen rankings, Australia's Michael Hussey will be looking to reduce India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 17 rating point-lead at the top of the table.
