A glance at the latest International Cricket Council rankings are little comfort for New Zealand going into their two-test series against top-ranked South Africa.
South African players dominate the individual rankings, and the team will go into the series starting at Cape Town on Wednesday knowing even a drawn rubberagainst New Zealand will ensure they stay top of the world.
They have a five-point lead over England, however should New Zealand draw the series 1-1, South Africa would slip to be just one point ahead of England on 119 points.
And among the more improbable outcomes, if New Zealand did win the rubber 2-0 it would still sit a lowly eighth on the ladder, ahead of only Bangladesh among the ranked test-playing nations.
Four South African batsmen - Hashim Amla (No 3), Jacques Kallis (6), AB de Villiers (7) and captain Graeme Smith (13) - are in the top 20 on a list headed by Australian captain Michael Clarke.
