adminSYDNEY. — Australia will look to become just the second team to win a Cricket World Cup final on their own soil when a tournament rich in sub-plots featuring serial under-achievers South Africa and Afghanistan’s fairytale debut starts next month.
Champions in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007, Australia are among the favourites to lift the trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 29 at the end of an exhausting six-week event.
The 14-nation competition gets underway on February 14 and is being played at seven venues in Australia and seven in New Zealand. The top four in each group qualify for the quarter-finals.
Now in its 40th year, the World Cup has only once been won by a team playing in front of a home crowd, with India shrugging off the crushing pressure of mass expectation in 2011.
The Australians have only lost one of their last 11 one-day internationals and accounted for South Africa 4-1 in a home series in November. Australia can boast a strong core of key players — David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson and possibly skipper Michael Clarke, depending upon his fitness.
Given Smith’s phenomenal form with the bat — three ODI centuries since October — there are those who say Australia may not even miss Clarke’s leadership and batting.
Despite their smooth progress to the final of the ongoing Tri-Nations series, there remain question marks over Australia’s on-field behaviour.
Warner has come in for widespread criticism following his oafish “speak English” rant at India batsman Rohit Sharma.
South Africa’s hopes of ending their World Cup hoodoo will rest with some of the finest players currently active.
Proteas captain AB de Villiers is the number-one ranked ODI batsman and will arrive at the tournament after displaying dazzling form in a recent home series against the West Indies, including the fastest one-day international century, made off just 31 balls.
Hashim Amla has reached a succession of milestones in fewer innings than anyone else — 2 000, 3 000, 4 000 and most recently 5 000 ODI runs.
In Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, South Africa have two of the most potent fast bowlers in the world, while new ball bowler Vernon Philander has the accuracy to exploit any life in a pitch.
With Sharma, the only batsman with two 200s in one-day internationals, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India possess destructive batting fire-power.
But the champions’ frail bowling attack remains a worry, as was evident during the recent Test series in Australia where the hosts piled up 500-plus totals in each of the four matches during a 2-0 win.
India start their campaign against bitter rivals Pakistan in Adelaide on February 15. — AFP.
Online Reporter