Starting a Test series at The Oval, traditional venue for final Tests, seems as odd an inversion of normality as next season's Scottish Football League tables.

To have only three Test matches is frustrating; if ever a series demanded five, it is this one. And there's a real fear that Britain's summer monsoon will further truncate the action.

But there's little else to complain of about the England v South Africa series which begins on Thursday as it brings together the two best teams in the game.

The next few weeks will determine top place in the rankings for all three versions of the game. The winners of the Test and Twenty20 series will emerge as No 1 – England currently lead in both formats, while either might displace Australia from the top of the one-day rankings.

Of course, top v second is not a guarantee of great action. England against an Indian team who arrived as No 1 but nursing a post-World Cup hangover, was a huge disappointment last summer. High stakes can too often lead to negativity.

No rivalry has matched England v South Africa for a tightly contested series in the nearly two decades since the post-apartheid readmission of the Proteas. None of the eight series between them has been decided by more than a single match.

It is not that they have been the best teams – that was generally Australia. The compelling qualities of the England v South Africa series often relate as much to their limitations as to their strengths.

The slightest shift in that equilibrium could be decisive, hence the shock to South Africa with the retirement through injury of Mark Boucher and English concern over the fitness of spin bowler Graham Swann.

Cortisone injections are rarely good news but that spin could be England's one area of superiority was acknowledged last week by South African Ashwell Prince.

This is not to say that Imran Tahir, the peripatetic Pakistani whose cricketing loyalties were ultimately fixed by falling in love with a Durban girl, will be easily fooled. He is well accustomed to English conditions and bowlers following successful spells in county cricket.

That Prince, who averages more than 40 in Tests, is not sure of a place is an indication of South Africa's batting power. Captain Graeme Smith may lack an established partner, but if he can maintain the form that has brought him 1083 runs on previous trips to England he will be happy. The middle order of Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers may be the biggest test for England's pacemen.

England should be able to match them run for run, while the Proteas will hope that Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen continue the poor form of their trip to South Africa two winters back.

England's more serious worry comes lower down and a personal preference would be to give James Taylor of Notts his chance. The other big decision is which of Tim Bresnan, Steve Finn or Graham Onions to favour as third seamer along with Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad. All three are deserving.

Whoever plays, this series should be one for connoisseurs of pace. Ratings and reputation say Dale Steyn is the world's finest paceman, but Anderson can match him in English conditions while Morne Morkel is an ideal foil to Steyn and Vernon Philander is currently the world's most prolific bowler.

So the first series played for the Basil D'Olivera trophy since his death should be one to remember. Forecasting who will be brandishing the trophy at Lord's next month is a mug's game, however England 1-0 is this writer's tentative hostage to fortune.