Don't write us off - Ponting

Ricky Ponting challenged his side to produce their best cricket on a regular basis

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The emotional scars of Australia's first series defeat on home soil in 15 years may still be fresh, but Ricky Ponting is adamant his new-look side remain a powerful force in world cricket.

Amid predictions of a rough ride ahead for the number one ranked Test nation - a title they will relinquish to the buoyant Proteas should they lose the third Test in Sydney - Ponting remains resolute.

"I guess right at the moment it's a little bit hard to know what the expectation out there is of the team," said Ponting, whose side lost in India before South Africa arrived Down Under.

"I still hold very high expectations of the group and I don't think I'm being unrealistic by doing that either because I think as you saw in Perth we did most things right through that game but weren't good enough on the last day.

"And last week in Melbourne at different times I thought some of our cricket was excellent."

Ponting, a mainstay of the all-conquering Australia Test team for more than a decade, insists a lack of consistency - and not a lack of ability - is to blame for the recent run of defeats.

"At the end of the day our results will speak for themselves anyway.

Graeme Smith watches over his side during practice on the eve of the final Test in Sydney

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"So far it hasn't been terrific, but, as I said and I keep coming back to, our very best cricket's been very good and it's about trying to maintain that for longer periods of time in Test matches," he said.

"If you actually look at it that's been the difference between the team of yesteryear really and this current side, is that other side was able to maintain things for extended periods of time in Test matches, so that's what we need to learn."

South Africa skipper Graeme Smith, meanwhile, insists complacency is not a factor for his men heading into the Sydney Test despite having clinched the series 2-0.

"Generally the squad is quite calm and when I look around the squad today I don't see anyone arriving not looking interested or not looking like they want to do something in this game," Smith said.

"Each player is still hungry for performance - some guys want a hundred, some guys want five-wicket hauls and we want to win.

"I think there's a real motivation to hopefully win the series 3-0 - that'd be fantastic. That opportunity hasn't come around for many teams often against Australia and here we sit with that in front of us."