With England winning the first game of the World Cup today, the whole country has breathed a sigh of relief. The hosts are under enormous pressure, as the expectation for them to play well in home conditions is increasing with every day. A victory today will at least release the pressure valve that has been increasing since their poor form in Australia and Sharjah.

Now that the tournament is under way, it is do or die for all the teams. The practice games played against the Counties may have been important to all of the teams' preparations, but now it is time for the real thing. The lead-up fixtures gave every team the chance to adapt to the English conditions, and also provide an ideal opportunity to find the winning habit. I am a firm believer that winning is a habit, and in a tournament like the World Cup, this habit must be encompassed as early as possible if the joy of holding the World Cup aloft on June 20 is to become reality.

Although one-day cricket is unpredictable, a team can earn themselves a distinct advantage by finding form, and consequently building confidence within the team, from an early stage. The Aussies and the South Africans must go into the Cup as favourites after finding invaluable form in the lead-up games. In reality this advantage now counts for little as it is now time to put this practice into action.

To ensure that I don't incur the Melbourne Cup wrath on the boys, I will predict at this stage that the South Africans may be the outright favourites for the 1999 World Cup. Saying this only to avoid superstition, I look through objective eyes to see an outstanding Australian squad who look to be in fantastic shape for a fruitful six weeks.

Adding to the rich natural talent and invaluable experience within the team, is a depth that would make most cricket-playing nations envious. Any side leaving out players of the calibre of Slater, Blewett, Law, Hayden, Symonds, Harvey, Gillespie, etc, etc, must have a proud depth of talent that will make the Aussies extremely difficult to beat in this World Cup. Superstars Steve Waugh, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Mark Waugh add sparkling polish to a younger brigade of players who may also find themselves tagged as great players themselves in the future. Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, already a great player in the one-day game, and Adam Gilchrist are batsmen who need no introduction on the world stage. Add to this three quality allrounders Tom Moody, Shane Lee and Brendon Julian, who all have the ability to make a difference with both bat and ball, plus genuine swing bowlers in Adam Dale and Damien Flemming, and the Australian team looks extraordinarily strong.

With his extensive experience in English conditions, my gut feeling tells me that my State captain, Tom Moody, could have a fantastic influence in the next month of World Cup cricket. When a team can afford to have him coming in at number seven or eight in the batting lineup, playing him primarily as a bowler, you know that the batting depth is daunting.

One-day batting 'master', Michael Bevan, has shown on so many occasions that he has the ability to control the one-day game like a master conductor controls a symphony orchestra. His talent, and ability to dominate the one-game with deft touch, a wood-chopper's power and quicksilver running between the wickets, makes him the best one-day batsman currently playing the game. With the back up of players like Damien Martyn and Paul Reiffel to fill in the gaps if necessary, the boys have the ability to set big scores, chase any score, and bowl out oppositions cheaply, in any conditions.

While talent, depth and an excellent work ethic are obviously not a problem, I feel the only obstacle for the good guys will be overcoming the fatigue of being on the cricket rollercoaster for the past eight months. Since Pakistan in September, the guys haven't had a break from the game. Whilst a week's rest in Barbados would have done them the world of good, I know that stress and fatigue are cumulative, and all the guys will have to dig deep in their quest to produce the highest quality cricket in order to win the World Cup.

Steve Waugh, a very determined and inspiring character, understands that opportunities like winning this World Cup don't come around every day, and I know that he was very disappointed not to have won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games last year. He will be treating this World cup as another opportunity to make amends for that treasured gold medal that meant so much to him and his team. As this World Cup could well be the last one played by some of Australia's most senior players, I retract my concern that fatigue could be a factor. There is too much at stake here, and the boys are fit enough and determined enough to put aside all obstacles. The motivation of a last World Cup opportunity, plus the obvious motivation of winning one-day cricket's Holy Grail, will be enough to see 'the good guys' playing in the June 20th final at Lords.

My little spies tell me that Geoff Marsh has been working the lads like SAS soldiers, so although they may be feeling a little stiff in the calf and hamstring muscles, it will all be worth it when the green and gold outfits are jogging a lap of honor at Lords in a few weeks time.

From London, JL