South Africa have a great chance as long as they continue to play agressive positive cricket. The problem is quite often when they get put under pressure the become quite negative (i.e Losing on D/L to Sri Lanka, something which should never have happened!).

Australia always have a chance, IMO they cant be written off just yet.

West Indies are also a good bet on home terratory.

After that its wide open, any of the top 8 teams could could win it on their day.

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Mark.

it's way too close to call with anything more than hunch ... so i'll tell you who i'd like to see win it (of those with any hope at all) - Sri Lanka!!

I'd be very happy to see West Indies win myself. Though they don't actually play the game as well as they would like at times, they always play the game with the right spirit. True gentlemen of the game and in terms of sportsmanship, put the rest of the cricketing world to shame - especially Australia, South Africa and Pakistan.

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It would be nice if the Windies did win, but I think it is unlikely. Jerome Taylor apart, the bowling lacks consistency. The likes of Bradshaw and Collymore flatter to deceive rather too often and even though the team now uses Gayle as a full-time ODI spinner, it is hard to see him being an effective weapon on all the different Caribbean wickets.

One out of:
Australia
India
England
New Zealand

for me could be this World Cup's winner. South Africa and Sri Lanka, could at the most, be reaching till the semis - but beyond that would be very difficult for them.
I hope that rains don't make my predictions go awry.

Interesting that that list matches all the teams you support + your location.

I guess it is quite hard to justify why Zim have a chance, isn't it.

Its really a tough one to pick who's going to triumph based on the topsy turvey nature of ODI cricket these days. I'll try and list the teams in order of personal favourtism and reasons why.

South Africa - Must surely be favourites now that the Aussies are wobbling
Australia - Will bounce back for sure, but will it be enough?
Sri Lanka - My dark horses for the World Cup, they have matchwinners lined up ready to go.
West Indies - Have improved a lot in the past year and should relish home conditions.
Pakistan - If theyre pumped up, which they should be, they just might pull it off.
England - Have recently found their tenacity. With Pieterson back as well, they'll be a force.
New Zealand - They will need 5-6 players to be in good nick and working in tandem.
India - Have the firepower, but will they shake of their inability to perform overseas.

Actually that was really hard to do, this is going to be a very intruiging and even contest!

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- VVVRulz..

Thre Australians are still favourites, they lose a series with out taking over players like Gilchrist, Ponting, Clarke, Symonds and Lee. Ok Australia won all five tests, they also won 7 out of 10 matches in the Commenwealth bank series. They for some reason played Watson and Hogg at the end of the series Hogg had only played one game before the finals and Watson had not played at all. South Africa are a good side, they look like the only team that could beat a full strenght Australian side, if Symonds and Lee both play in the world cup and are fit, then Australia won't lose.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

Nice predictions.
They'll win!
The'll bounce back all right, but SA will pip them at the post.
Great team on its day, but too excitable and likley to crumble under pressure.
Maybe, but the current team is not strong enough, even at home. Nice if they do well, though.
They might win a few exciting matches, but will not go all the way.
Mediocre bowling attack; will fall before the semi-finals.
Now, they are my Dark Horses. If Oram & Styris add their firepower to Vincent's, anything is possible.
Dravid's unimaginative captaincy might become a factor, but have a good chance to win.

You bet!