SYDNEY (Reuters)
Steve Waugh said Australia's comprehensive series win over South Africa would count for nothing if they did not beat them in South Africa later this year.

Although Waugh's team won the first two Tests of their three-match series in Australia to retain their ranking as the world's best side, they have to win this year's return series in South Africa to stay on top.

"We see this as the best of a six-match series, not three," Waugh said on the eve of the third and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"We've won this series out here but overall we're going to be judged on six Tests not three."

Waugh said the nature of the split series had provided his players with extra motivation and helped eliminate any thoughts of complacency.

"There's a lot of things to play for. Our goal at the start of the year was to win three Test matches against South Africa," Waugh said.

"We've played as close to as well as we could in the last Test match, there was nothing much we didn't dominate in there, and we'd love to back that up here in Sydney."

Billed as cricket's first playoff for the world title, the three-match series has quickly turned into a fizzer after the Australians crushed the South Africans in the first two Tests, winning by 246 runs at Adelaide and nine wickets at Melbourne.

Waugh said he was slightly surprised by South Africa's capitulation but said it was a sign their team was still developing.

"Once you lose one Test match you tend get a few doubts with inexperienced players," Waugh said.

"The first Test was crucial and we won that pretty well. That put South Africa on the back foot so they're probably missing those experienced, tough, seasoned campaigners."

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