The cricket world can put the Indian Premier League to one side for another two weeks as the eagerly awaited one-day international series between South Africa and Australia begins at a sold-out Kingsmead today.
Both captains, Graeme Smith and Ricky Ponting, were at pains to point out on Wednesday that they and their men are only thinking about the five-match series that will determine whether South Africa stay No 1 in the ICC ODI rankings or whether the Aussies leapfrog them.
South Africa rose to the top spot after surprising even themselves with their superb cricket in a 4-1 victory Down Under. This, after slumping to a 4-0 defeat in England in 2008.
Both teams have a lot to live up to following their last limited-overs contest here in 2005-06 when South Africa clinched a thrilling series 3-2 with the famous "438 victory" at the Wanderers.
Questioned about their focus on the task at hand as the IPL circus arrives, Smith and Ponting expressed exactly the same sentiments.
"Playing for South Africa is our priority right now; playing for our country is the highlight of our careers. We've developed a mature environment within the team so I don't need to remind the guys where their priorities lie," said Smith.
"I haven't even heard our players discussing the IPL. If I did then perhaps I would have to address it but the guys are entirely focused on what they have to do in the next two weeks," said Ponting.
Smith, like coach Mickey Arthur before him, emphasised the need to put their "peg in the ground" and get off to a strong start. The South Africans have been able to settle down and prepare well together in Durban's more provincial atmosphere and their intensity levels are high as they bid to end the summer on a high.
Unfortunately, their key all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, has not been able to recover sufficiently from a groin strain he picked up in the third Test to take his place in Friday's line-up.
Kallis batted and bowled in the nets yesterday morning but it was felt that today's game comes a little too soon for him. "Our physio tells me he's making good progress," said Smith, "and I'm confident that he will be an option for the second match at Centurion on Sunday."
Kallis plays a crucial role in the balance of the team and his absence will place more responsibility on South Africa's top-order as they will need to perform well to offset a slightly longer tail.
Despite his heroics in the Pro20 last Sunday, Roelof van der Merwe will sit out this match, as will Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Wayne Parnell. The pace attack will comprise the three specialist seamers, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini, supplemented by Albie Morkel and the two spinners, Johan Botha and JP Duminy.
There's been some debate this week about the Kingsmead pitch, which Arthur and Smith believe has changed in character over the last couple of years.
"It was very dry in the Test match, and it brings the spinners more into play," said Arthur on Thursday. There were even whispers around the Proteas' camp on Thursday that if Kallis had been fit, the South Africans might have exchanged a pace bowler for a third spinner, an unheard of tactic in past years.
But, as both captains pointed out, the overhead conditions at Kingsmead will still largely dictate how the pitch will play. If the weather is coming up the coast, the grass "stands to attention" and the seamers can have a field day. But if the wind is from the north or north-east, the pitch can go very flat.
Kingsmead groundsman Wilson Ngobese said that, taking everything into account, Friday's pitch was the best he'd produced in 2009.
"I've had a perfect preparation and the strip looks a beauty with an even covering of grass and a lovely shine."
TEAMS FOR DURBAN
South Africa:
Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher (wicketkeeper), Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini.
Australia:
(from) Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin (wicketkeeper), Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Callum Ferguson, Marcus North, James Hopes, Cameron White, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Geeves, Nathan Bracken, Ben Laughlin.
Start:
2.30pm.
Itinerary:
2nd ODI at Centurion on April 5
3rd ODI in Cape Town on April 9
4th ODI in Port Elizabeth on April 13
5th ODI in Johannesburg on April 17.