Group A (with Pakistan, India, England, Zimbabwe, Holland, Namibia)

Strengths: A brilliant batting line-up who score their runs quickly. Openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden provide the initial firepower and the middle-order of Ponting, Damien Martyn and Michael Bevan keep the score ticking along with their clever shot placement and quick running between wickets. An awesome attack, equally as potent in one-day as well as international cricket, comprises pacemen Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee, balanced with the skills and mental agility of leg-spinner Shane Warne.

Weaknesses: Despite having Warne in their own team, Australia’s batsmen have recently struggled against quality spinners. They also do not have a genuine top all-rounder after Shane Watson was ruled out with injury. The biggest concern though is a long list of injuries, particularly to their frontline bowlers whose fitness is paramount to their chances of success.

Key man: Lee — dropped for the start of the Ashes series as a wake-up call from the selectors, he responded by bowling with burning pace and improved accuracy. He was even more effective in the triangular one-day series against England and Sri Lanka and on that form will be a match-winner in southern Africa.

One-day form: Crushed England and Sri Lanka at home this summer to easily win their annual domestic one-day triangular event after missing the final the year before when hosting New Zealand and South Africa. Avenged that anomaly by demolishing South Africa 5-1 on their own turf then knocked the Kiwis out of the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.

Past World Cups: Twice champions and twice runners-up and the only country to make the final four times. Beat England to win the World Cup for the first time in 1987 then defeated Pakistan in 1999 to join West Indies as the only country to win two World Cups. Lost to West Indies in the inaugural final in 1975 and beaten by Sri Lanka in the 1996 final.

Prediction: Champions for a third time.—Reuters