South Africa has the opportunity to dethrone Australia and secure the top spot in the LG ICC ODI Championship Table at the 1 April cut-off if it sweeps the three-match series against Bangladesh starting in Chittagong on Sunday. Australia and South Africa are currently both sitting on 127 ratings points but Graeme Smith’s side is behind Ricky Ponting’s side by just 0.529 of a point when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point. If the Proteas wins the series 3-0, they will stay on 127 ratings points but will finish ahead of Australia by 0.191 at the cut-off. This date is significant because the sides that lead the Test and ODI ladders on 1 April, pocket US$175,000 each for its achievements, while the sides that lie second collect US$75,000 each. Last year, South Africa snatched the title just before the 1 April cut-off date, relegating Australia to second, and no doubt Smith and his men will be using the possibility of repeating that feat as a motivational tool for the series. If Bangladesh manages to win just one game, Australia will retain its top position opening up a two-point gap with South Africa dropping to 125 ratings points. In the longer version of the game, Australia is sure of collecting the cheque for US$175,000 and of retaining the mace by finishing on top of the LG ICC Test Championship Table at the cut-off date. Australia leads the field by 30 clear ratings points. As far as the runner-up to Australia is concerned, India is currently placed second and can only slip to third place if England makes a clean sweep of its three-Test series. Although Sri Lanka will have completed its first Test against the West Indies (starting in Guyana from 22 March) and India will have played its first Test against South Africa (starting in Chennai from 26 March) before the cut-off date, the LG ICC Test Championship table is only updated after the conclusion of a series
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