Another win for Hansie Cronje's tourists will not only give them the rubber - whatever the result at Headingley tomorrow - it would also mean a sixth successive defeat for England, their worst run since losing five matches on the reel in South Africa followed by defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the World Cup in India in 1996.
As captain, Hollioake has experienced the extremes of good and bad fortune in the space of six months. First he led England to five consecutive wins - four in Sharjah followed by one in the Caribbean. Then the pendulum swung sharply with four defeats by the West Indies and South Africa's three-wicket win at the Oval on Thursday.
With the World Cup only 12 months away, Hollioake is aware of the importance of victory today if the selectors are to place their long-term trust in him. As David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, said: ``We shall wait to see the outcome of the Texaco series but it is important for the public that we do start winning games.''
As Hollioake aptly remarked after the first Texaco game: ``Perhaps the honeymoon period is over.''
While South Africa are almost certain to field an unchanged side for today's game, England might look to the introduction of Surrey's Alistair Brown to ensure they are not again some 30 runs short of a defensible total - though that might mean leaving out one of the new caps, Chris Adams or Darren Maddy.
Graveney felt that both players ``will have learnt a lot'' from their Oval debut. He paid tribute particularly to the spinners, Robert Croft and Ashley Giles, while England's coach, David Lloyd, was impressed by Hollioake's all-round performance.
``With the bat he played the ball around into the spaces in a way we have wanted him to do more,'' Lloyd said. ``He led the side well and was imaginative in his bowling changes. We certainly made them fight to reach the target and I feel we are capable of winning the last two games.''
Graveney had no doubt that the high quality of South Africa's fielding had pressurised England. ``Their fielding put great pressure on us,'' he said, ``and we will have learned from the way they approach things in the field, with either Donald and Pollock seemingly bowling from one end most of the time.''
Hollioake conceded that the tourists were ``brilliant'' in the field, though he did not feel England were far behind.
While England's activities were confined to travelling north yesterday, Cronje called for what he termed ``an optional nets'', which is really a code message for ordering virtually a full turn-out.
The tourists have almost a compulsive appetite for hard work and training and Cronje does not believe they have yet reached the peak of their ability in the field. ``The Oval was not us at our very best,'' he said. ``We can still lift the standard a bit.''
He sees Jonty Rhodes as the catalyst for the remainder of the side in the field. ``If he has a good day, it lifts the whole team.''
Though there were three run-outs in the England innings at the Oval, the South Africans are still anxious to further refine their skills, working on how bowlers and close fielders can take a throw without slowing the impetus of the ball.
The tourists are also benefiting from work at home with a baseball pitcher, who gave them an insight into a marginally different method of firing in the ball from the deep. He showed them how to throw with a flatter trajectory, using the rotation of the body to achieve a return that is harder and faster.
England (from): *A J Hollioake, N V Knight, -A J Stewart, C J Adams, N Hussain, D L Maddy, A D Brown, M A Ealham, A F Giles, C C Lewis, R D B Croft, D Gough, M V Fleming, A R C Fraser
South Africa: *W J Cronje, G Kirsten, G F J Liebenberg, J H Kallis, D J Cullinan, J N Rhodes, L Klusener, S M Pollock, -M V Boucher, P L Symcox, A A Donald.