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The Australian selectors have made sensible moves, some late in the day, LOVE them or hate them, you cannot ignore them. Australia are a side who have, over the years, been at the receiving end of a lot of spite, but most of it originated from envy, since on the field they had been practically unbeatable for a long time, indeed. So, it was naturally with unbridled joy and smug satisfaction that the cricketing world watched their demise in the Ashes series. As a team, they were dismissed with cackles of derision and as an individual, Ricky Ponting was added to the debit list in no uncertain terms. But as the Test series with England ended, followed by the two T20 games equally shared, Australia suddenly seem to have found their feet again, with England suddenly realising that this wasn’t a side you could simply write off.
Australia have the best record in World Cup cricket, having played six of the eight finals and won four of them, the last three in succession. Now, Ponting brings his men back to the region where their successes began, in 1987. While it would be a stretch to assume that they will run away with this one as well, only a brave man would dismiss Australia summarily. Things have changed for the Aussies. No longer do they have the whippet-like willow of Adam Gilchrist, or the bludgeon of Matthew Hayden to get them off to a blistering start. Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne had made the attack nearly unplayable, but they, too, have resigned to time. That leaves them with a side of very interesting mixes. Shane Watson has suddenly become the backbone of a side that was, not too long ago, struggling to get two decent innings together. Ponting himself would dearly love to get to even 60 per cent efficiency, while Michael Clarke, for all his promise, is still really to deliver. Michael Hussey’s late withdrawal could be a crippling blow, as his replacement Callum Ferguson would have huge boots to fill. The fast bowling department has searing pace – in the shape of Shaun Tait, while Brett Lee doesn’t quite seem to be himself yet, after his return to big-time cricket. Mitchell Johnson may well find himself in the centre of the bowling attack. Dirk Bollinger is an eternal fighter, while new man John Hastings will find the subcontinent daunting – all debutants do. But the World Cup is about allrounders. This edition will be about the bits- and-pieces bowlers, who will combine with the specialist spinners to make a mark. In that direction, the Australian selectors have finally made some sensible moves. Nathan Hauritz would have added some serious meat to the spin department, and it seemed that the selectors had got it right, till the off- spinner, too, fell to fitness issues, late in the plot, making way for another off-spinner in Jason Krejza, who gets into the side, along with leggie Steve Smith. While these two are now the front men in the spin department, the utility of Cameron White, David Hussey, Clarke with the slow stuff and Watson with the medium pace will really make for an interesting combination. Australia are not short on skill. But then, on paper, almost all the sides are on a par, give or take a few points, when it comes to skill. What Australia would have to work on is their confidence and mental make-up, which would have to filter down from Ponting. This World Cup may not script a fond farewell for the Tasmanian. But like them or not, ignore Australia at your own peril.
Captained Australia to two successive ICC CWC titles in 2003 and 2007 
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