Can SA dethrone the new world No.1, England?

It has been well-documented that England replaced India as the top-ranked test team in the world after comprehensively outplaying the visitors in the first three tests.

England thumped India by an innings and 242 runs in the third test at Edgbaston. It was not merely a victory, it was a massacre. They lead the series 3-0, and a whitewash is within the realms of possibility now, as the poor Indian resolve has been a source of frustration to their fans back home.

What was so impressive about the English victory was their focus, their composure and their self-control throughout.

India came to England with much expectation, but imploded badly.

After the injury to Zaheer Khan, their bowling attack lost their champion, and simply had no answers to the total onslaught led by Alistair Cook.

The bowling attack of England was simply outrageously good. James Anderson has captured 18 wickets to date, and that has happened on the back of his magnificent Ashes-series, in which he finished with 24 wickets.

The 29-year-old swing bowler of England has moved to number 2 in the world rankings for test bowers, and is only being edged out by Dale Steyn of South Africa.

Graeme Swann is arguably the finest slow bowler in the world at present, while Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan have emerged as world-class bowlers.

What makes England such a dangerous outfit is the strength in reserve as a bowling unit. Chris Tremlet and Stephen Finn are not to be sniffed at as fast bowlers and they will have their work cut out to uproot and remove Broad or Bresnan at present.

Furthermore, England boast at least four world-class batsmen. Their hunger for success is an amazing part of England’s current march to test glory.

Eoin Morgan stepped into the role of top-order batsman in the absence of Jonathan Trott and immediately imposed himself on the Indian attack with a superb 104.

Kevin Pietersen has recaptured some of his relentless attacking flair of old.

And Ian Bell, Cook and Andrew Strauss are all simply brilliant.

England will have their work cut out in an attempt to become a cricket dynasty, because next season they have series lined up against Pakistan and Sri Lanka away from home, and against an impressive South Africa at home.

Can South Africa replace England at the summit of the world rankings?

That will depend entirely on the ability of South Africa to meet their own bowling challenges.

Can the Proteas find a long-term successor to Makhaya Ntini as third seam bowler behind Steyn and Morné Morkel?

Can Imran Tahir fulfil the role of defensive spin bowler during the first innings when there is little turn and bounce on offer? And can he use his variations intelligently enough to remove top-class batsmen at regular intervals to assist Steyn and Morkel?

His biggest tests might be against Australia and Sri Lanka at home between October and January.

Alviro Petersen will also be on trial during the next five months. His biggest shortcomings have been as a defensive batsman against fast bowlers probing him early in his innings. If he can convert useful thirties and forties into centuries, it will be a bonus for the SA team.

Another question will be  whether Mark Boucher can resurrect his career as a wicketkeeper/batsman.

An aging Jacques Kallis has been simply magnificent the past two seasons with both bat and ball.

A few weeks ago, Boucher, Kallis and AB de Villiers ran the Knysna-halfmarathon, and convinced their supporters that they are as fit as ever.

Boucher is very keen to revive his career in one-day internationals, and if he can find a fifth gear and a second wind, it is not beyond his capabilities to add another two seasons to his test career.

At his very best, Boucher has the ability to add considerable depth to the batting line-up of South Africa.

But let us return to England. The ultimate test of England’s longevity as a number-1 test nation will be their ability to win and dominate at home and away from home.

The England team have won 188 tests at home, and  lost 107. They have won 137 tests away from home and lost 154.

And it is exactly this frailty away from home that will be the biggest question-mark over their ability to become a test dynasty on par with Australia (between 1995 and 2007) and the West Indian Islands (1976 and 1995).

The one team capable of challenging them to the number-1 spot over the next three years are South Africa.

England have been awesome the past two years, but just remember that their comprehensive test series wins against Australia in the latest Ashes-triumph in Australia and against India, happened against aging teams in transition.