The stage is set for the super showdown which will decide if South Africa are ready to snatch Test cricket's crown from Australia.

In 2005 the Proteas were a deeply troubled team. Hansie Cronje had dragged the South Africans into a match-fixing scandal and the transition from his captaincy, to Shaun Pollock's, to the 22-year-old Graeme Smith was not easy.

To make matters worse, things were not 'happening' for the Proteas on tour or at home. The Sri Lanka tour of 2005 saw injuries plague the team and Ashwell Prince was dumped with the captaincy of a spent Proteas' squad who lost hopelessly and were at the very bottom of their doldrum period.

That was the turning point. At rock bottom, there is only one way to go – and that's up!

South Africa's last Test series defeat was that Sri Lankan embarrassment under Prince's makeshift captaincy n 2005 and today, they are back! Still smarting after their home Test series whipping (also in 2005) at the hands of the Australians, the Proteas are hell-bent on revenge.

2008 has been the launching pad for a full frontal attack on Australia's dominance of cricket and South Africa have sped around the planet in preparation for the clash in December (with a return leg in South Africa in January) which is being billed, 'The No.1 showdown of 2008-09.'

The scalps in their 2008 kitbag confirm the Proteas’ status as genuine No.1 contenders this time round and include; Pakistan (in Pakistan), West Indies (in SA), New Zealand (in SA), India (drawn in India), Bangladesh (in Bangadesh) and England, where South Africa have just taken a 1-0 lead after crushing the hosts at Headingley and are favourites to win the four-match series.

Basically, South Africa have played EVERY major team on the planet (excluding the Aussies) in preparation for their grudge match in December/January. They have come away with the credentials to show they are more than capable of beating a decidedly ordinary looking Aussie team on current form.

The Australian side of 2005 included (amongst others) the legendary Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist, and Proteas' fans believe the pendulum has swung in South Africa's favour after their retirement.

South Africa's 'young guns' of 2005 were up against Aussie legends in their prime and now Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini will feel they have turned the tables on a less experienced Aussie squad.

It's all relative though, as cricket doesn't have the words "weak Aussie team" in its vocabulary, but South Africa will feel that IF there is ever going to be a fair opportunity to put one over the Aussies, this just might be it.

Graeme Smith has grown up a bit and looks ready to give Ricky Ponting a run for his money. So, in preparation for December, all Proteas' fans will be sending Ponting and his mates a 'Happy Christmas', and reminding them that new year in South Africa looks set to be a bit more challenging than anything they have faced for a long time.