SYDNEY (Reuters)
Australia's spin options will give them an advantage over South Africa in their battle for the title of the world's best Test side, according to skipper Steve Waugh.

"That's where we hold the difference. We have Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, as well as some other good back-up," said Waugh. "The Adelaide pitch for the first Test will turn and that could be our trump card."

Australia need to beat the South Africans over three Tests to retain their top place in the Test world championship. The Adelaide Test starts next Friday.

Warne, the most successful slow bowler of all time, has 413 Test wickets while MacGill, a fellow legspinner, has taken 75 wickets in 16 Tests.

South Africa, in contrast, have been forced to replace injured slow left-armer Nicky Boje, their leading spinner, with the inexperienced Claude Henderson, who has been capped just twice.

Waugh, however, still expects the series to be close. "They're a quality side, with players like Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis, Allan Donald and Herschelle Gibbs," he said.

"Their pace attack of Pollock and Donald stack up against anyone and they have a lot of allrounders. They're always digging in," he said. "And Mark Boucher looks like breaking all the wicketkeeping records."

Speaking on the phone from his Sydney home, he added: "We feel we're marginally ahead of South Africa but they'll feel they're as good as us. We've always had some very close battles.

"Generally, you know where you are in the world pecking order but it's nice to have the evidence. It's nice to be No. 1 in the Test championship."

The International Cricket Council's table, launched in May, is based on a rolling series of home-and-away series results. The upcoming series will replace the teams' last contest in Australia in 1997-98, won 1-0 by the home side. South Africa, just behind Waugh's side, thus only need to draw to claim the top spot for the first time.

Australia's championship lead was cut when they drew their home series against New Zealand. South Africa beat India 1-0 last month.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd