SYDNEY, Feb 8 (AFP): Australia are peaking at the right time for a crack at their fifth World Cup triumph and will go into this month's tournament at home on top of the rankings.
Under the attacking coaching of Darren Lehmann, the Australians have registered some impressive results and have only lost one of their last 12 ODIs.
Australia accounted for the third-ranked South Africans 4-1 in a series at home last November and comfortably beat England and India in a tri-series in the final weeks before the World Cup.
Lehmann and fellow selectors have assembled a strong playing group around a core of key players-David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson and possibly skipper Michael Clarke, fitness issues depending.
Clarke has been troubled by hamstring and back problems throughout the southern summer and he is already a doubt for the opening game against England on February 14.
Given stand-in skipper Smith's phenomenal form with the bat this season-three ODI centuries since October-there are those who say Australia may not even miss Clarke's leadership and batting.
Australia's biggest challenge will be how the team handles the external pressures as the host nation that will decide its winning chances.
The Australians didn't cope in 1992 when they last hosted the sport's showpiece and they missed out on the semi-finals.
The home team have traditional rivals England first up on February 14 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue for the March 29 final. The Australians also have Sri Lanka, New Zealand Bangladesh and associate teams Afghanistan and Scotland in their pool and will have home advantage for all but their pool game with the Black Caps in Auckland on February 28.
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