World Cup 2019: Rising Australia are big contenders for the trophy

The considered opinion is that Australia are only playing to about 70 per cent of their potential, and that is bad news for the other contenders of the most coveted prize in cricket. Australia are truly the Brazil of cricket, having won the World Cup a record five times, but no one really gave them much of chance in the lead up to the 2019 edition.

A woeful 2018 saw them lose a string of ODIs, the fiasco surrounding ball tampering led to the loss of two of their best in Steve Smith and David Warner, and the team looked to have entered a rebuilding phase. This was a far cry from the triumphant side that won the Cup on home soil four years ago.

Always in the reckoning

That perception slowly began to change with a hard-fought 3-2 series win against a very powerful India side away from home. And the Kangaroos seem to have brought the confidence earned in that series into this tournament.

They have just dropped one game so far, a pretty convincing defeat at the hands of another title aspirant India, but have shown team spirit and resilience to claim victories in all their other matches. The biggest plus for any Australia side is their dogged determination to win at any cost that keeps them in the hunt all the time.

Mitchell Starc is at his fearsome best

Peaking at the right time

Australia's 48-run victory in a high-scoring game against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge on Thursday suggested the team is reaching its best form as we cross into the second half of the tournament. David Warner, who has been in the runs but in a strangely mellow avatar, finally unleashed himself in helpful conditions as he blasted his way to a 147-ball 166 that broke the backbone of their rivals.

Captain Aaron Finch hit another half-century to add to his fine run of scores and Usman Khawaja also came good with the team piling on 381 runs to leave Bangladesh with too much to do. Australia bat really deep and have in their arsenal the masterful Steve Smith, the devastating Glenn Maxwell and the accomplished Alex Carey. All of them have come good at least once this tournament, and together form a formidable batting line-up. Even Nathan Coulter-Nile played a wonderful knock in one match when his team was in all sorts of trouble.

Bowling bravado

Australia's victory in a close-fought match against the West Indies was spearheaded by the lethal pace and accuracy of Mitchell Starc, a bowler who comes into his own come every World Cup. With 15 wickets, he is at the top of the heap and ready to strike fear into any batsman that comes in his way.

But Australia have brought a balanced attack to England, which might not be as deadly as some of their previous attacks but has variety and guile. There is spin in the form of Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon and a capable pace-bowling all-rounder in Marcus Stoinis. It is the form of the other quick, Pat Cummins, that might be a cause for concern though. Comparatively it the bowling that is the weaker department for Australia, but Starc himself is a match-winner.

It's the spirit that matters

Australia have the highest run-getter in Warner and the highest wicket-taker in Starc in their ranks, but it is not really their batting might or bowling guile that is winning them matches. When they field, they hunt in packs; when the going gets tough with the bat, they grind their teeth and turn it around.

It has been vintage Australia so far, with only the brilliant Indians truly outclassing them. As long as the Australian spirit shines through though, they will always be big contenders for the Cup.

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