In-form Australia on target for Champions Trophy title defence

Smiling game ... The Aussies are full of confidence. AP

Australia's one-day cricketers are gathering steam at the right time for their Champions Trophy title defence.

It took a gun Australian team eight years and five Champions Trophy tournaments to finally win the crown in India in 2006.

But captain Ricky Ponting is confident his new-look side is gearing up well for a strong tilt at retaining it when the tournament gets underway in South Africa next week.

Australia will be one of the last teams to arrive after seeking to complete a 7-0 one-day series sweep embarrassment of England in Durham on Monday (EST).

“We've got to remain sharp and keep paying attention to the finer detail of everything we do,'' Ponting said.

“We're on the right track to doing that, so if we can do that when it matters in the Champions Trophy ... I'll guarantee there will be a few sides scared of us if we make it through to the big games.''

Australia are in Group A with unpredictable Pakistan, in-form India and a potentially depleted West Indies, unless the Caribbean's top cricketers and board can sort out their industrial relations dispute.

In Group B for the tournament starting on September 22 are hosts South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand.

South Africa could be fired-up on a number of fronts.

Home ground advantage aside, the Proteas were No.1 in the world one-day rankings until Australia edged ahead when they took a 6-0 lead in their series against England on Friday (EST).

And controversy has broken out over the International Cricket Council's annual awards being held in Johannesburg on October 1, with prominent figures saying the absence of any South African players from the shortlists will provide added motivation.

Australia, meanwhile, have completely dominated a below-par England side in their current series and Ponting says his squad are exactly where he wants them to be.

“I think we're doing everything in our power to give ourselves the best chance right at the moment,'' he said.

“But in tournament play, we've only got a couple of games to prove how good we are and if we happen to stumble in one or two of those games, then the Champions Trophy is over.''

Ponting, who returned from a post-Ashes break mid-way through the one-day series, has led by example, his 126 off 109 balls in the first match of the double-header in Nottingham inspirational.

But most pleasing has been the performance of the less experienced Australian players.

Opener Tim Paine's 51 at Lord's and 111 at Trent Bridge in just his fifth and seventh one-day internationals gave the 24-year-old, standing in for injured wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, a confidence boost at the right time.

Cameron White was outstanding batting at No.3 in Ponting's absence, and Callum Ferguson started the series with two half centuries.

Shane Watson has been solid at the top of the order and Michael Clarke has also been strong, while Mike Hussey found form with 65 off 69 in a supporting role to Paine's ton and Brett Lee produced some frightening speed during his five-wicket haul in game four at Lord's.

“We know we're playing an England team that are probably not at their best and probably not at the same level as some of the sides that we could come up against at the Champions Trophy,'' Ponting said.

“But the way we're going about our cricket and the way we've handled certain situations over the last few weeks has been pretty satisfying.''

Australia has a different look to the squad that won the Champions Trophy in 2006 - now without Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds.
But Ponting has been refreshed by the new faces in his line-up.

“It does revitalise you to look round the team and know that the team's changing all the time, but know you've got some excellent young guys that are waiting to explode on the international stage,'' he said.

“Some of them here - Ferguson, White and probably Watson in particular - have showed they've really got what it takes to be very good international players, so it makes you feel good as an experienced player and a captain.'' Link...