ODI preview / Ed Hawkins / 16 April 2009 / Leave a comment

The last time these two played at Joburg we witnessed an unbelievable ODI with more than 800 runs scored and a world record run chase. If this one's half as good, says Ed Hawkins, we're in for a treat.

The last time South Africa and Australia met at Johannesburg for one-day international you may recall it was something of a thriller. The 2,349 one-day international had everything.

Australia became the first side to score more than 400. And lost. There were 872 runs, the highest first-innings and second innings totals, the first and second fastest 150s, world record expensive bowling figures and the most runs in boundaries.

On Friday the two teams lock horns once more at the ground they call the Bull Ring. If it is half as good as the 2006 epic then we will be in for a treat.

This game will take place in different circumstances. Three years ago the teams were tied at 2-2 in the last match of the series and Mark Boucher's cool head at the death - there's a sentence you don't write very often - got the hosts home to spark wild celebrations, not just at the incredible feat of chasing down 434 but because they had ended their Australia hoodoo.

Since that win, South Africa have won seven of the 11 meetings between the sides. Previously it had taken them 22 matches to win as many.

South Africa are [1.9] for victory to make it consecutive 4-1 series over Australia, who with nothing but pride to play for are [2.08].

Australia captain Ricky Ponting is making all the right noises ahead of the contest: "We'd like to finish the tour on a high, so hopefully there'll be a bit of character in the team when the guys pitch up on Friday."

He could be reading from the captaincy manual there. In truth Australia are a side not to be trusted in dead rubbers.

In their last 12 (with the series won or lost) they have been beaten five times and two of their victories came against no-hopers Bangladesh.

By contrast South Africa do not let up. Their record in meaningless matches is quite incredible. With the series won, they have not lost a match since the seven-wicket defeat to West Indies in 2004 - a run of nine straight wins.

On that historical data, it would be fair to expect South Africa to be the outfit showing the "character".

We should also expect runs. Apologies if you think that is stating the obvious but the average first innings score in the last 10 matches in Jo'burg when excluding the 2006 run fest is 271. With it, the figure stands at 287. The small difference proves it was no fluke.

Indeed South Africa have made more than 300 four times in their last seven innings and Australia have passed that number in their last three.

On such a good batting wicket it is not surprising that the majority of runs are being scored at the top of the order. Over the last 10 matches there is a heavy bias in favour of those that bat in the first three. The top runscorers in 16 innings have come from there and it would be foolish to look outside the top trio for top-bat honours.

Ponting, who made 164 in the record breaker in 2006, also has 140 against India in the 2005 World Cup on this ground to give him a buzz. He is [4.3] to be Australia's top man.

But the story of the game could be Herschelle Gibbs. Gibbs was the man responsible for propelling South Africa to that mountain of a target with an astonishing 175 off 111 balls.

Sadly, he has been in and out of the side since then and has spent a month in alcohol rehabilitation. But he looks back to his best and scored a century against Australia in Port Elizabeth on Monday to give his team an unassailable lead.

It would be fitting if he could manage another. At Jo'burg he has three centuries in his last six matches.