England will trail Australia by a dozen points in the one-day international rankings, even if they beat the rain and South Africa in Cardiff.

But they may be closer to the world champions than many people realise, according to South Africa's Johan Botha.

The off-spinner, still relishing the challenge of bowling at the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff as the tourists try to avoid a 5-0 NatWest Series whitewash, respects the world rankings but is confident England are closing the gap on Australia.

"I wouldn't say Australia are way ahead; I'd say it's getting a lot closer," said Botha, whose team will be deposed in second place in the ICC table if they lose again tomorrow.

"I think England are a really good team at the moment. I think they've got the best bowling attack at the moment in one-day cricket.

"Freddie is firing on all cylinders. He's a huge player in their side and has probably been the difference between the two sides."

Botha believes the key to England's potential lies in the strength of their bowling attack, while Flintoff's all-round skills and captain Kevin Pietersen's batting are obvious key elements too.

"England are very close to Australia, especially if they can keep their bowling attack as it is now," Botha added.

"If Freddie and Kevin keep playing like they have been, I think it's getting very close."

South Africa have looked anything but the second-best team in the world in their role as NatWest stooges over the past two weeks - but Botha is sure there will be a revival.

"If we can pick up our game again we want to pitch in with those two [England and Australia]," he said.

"I'm not too sure about the rankings. They are important, but winning trophies is the most important - and it is World Cups that you need to win.

"We and England want to win the 2011 World Cup, and as a young team that is what we are building towards."

Avoiding the whitewash will not only protect South Africa's second position but will ensure they do not go home on a damaging downer, having achieved their principal objective this summer when they beat England in the Test series.

"It is huge for us," Botha divulged.

"We are an inexperienced team, and it would be great to start a new era here.

"We're really looking forward to it; we want it to be 4-1 when we go home."

Should they pull off victory they will be doing so on a ground associated with turn-ups, ever since Bangladesh beat Australia here in the 2005 NatWest Series - one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time.

South Africa do not quite need to upset the odds to that degree - but without their injured captain Graeme Smith, unavailable since the second match of this series and who flew home after a fourth defeat at Lord's two days ago, they are up against it.

"Obviously, he's a huge player in our team - a brilliant leader, and he's probably been one of the best one-day batsmen in the last 18 months," Botha said of Smith.

"We definitely miss him, his presence around the field and the dressing room."

In his absence, it will be a significant achievement if stand-in Jacques Kallis can somehow help South Africa stop Pietersen's England steamroller.