South Africa has the opportunity to dethrone Australia and secure the top spot in the LG ICC [Images] ODI Championship table at the April 1 cut-off if it sweeps the three-match series against Bangladesh starting in Chittagong on Sunday.

Australia and South Africa are currently both sitting on 127 ratings points but Graeme Smith's [Images] side is behind Ricky Ponting's [Images] side by just 0.529 of a point when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

If the Proteas wins the series 3-0, they will stay on 127 ratings points but will finish ahead of Australia by 0.191 at the cut-off. This date is significant because the sides that lead the Test and ODI ladders on April 1, pocket US $175,000 each for its achievements, while the sides that lie second collect US $75,000 each.

Last year, South Africa snatched the title just before the April 1 cut-off date, relegating Australia to second, and no doubt Smith and his men will be using the possibility of repeating that feat as a motivational tool for the series.

If Bangladesh manages to win just one game, Australia will retain its top position opening up a two-point gap with South Africa dropping to 125 ratings points.

In the longer version of the game, Australia is sure of collecting the cheque for US $175,000 and of retaining the mace by finishing on top of the LG ICC Test Championship Table at the cut-off date.

Australia leads the field by 30 clear ratings points.

As far as the runner-up to Australia is concerned, India is currently placed second and can only slip to third place if England [Images] makes a clean sweep of its three-Test series.

Although Sri Lanka [Images] will have completed its first Test against the West Indies [Images] (starting in Guyana from March 22) and India will have played its first Test against South Africa (starting in Chennai from March 26) before the cut-off date, the LG ICC Test Championship table is only updated after the conclusion of a series.