2015 Cricket World Cup: The contenders and pretenders

So with the Cricket World Cup just over a month away it’s time to get going with some predictions.

This is shaping up as one of the most open World Cups in history – there is no standout team, which throws up countless possibilities.

So who’s most likely to take home the glory?

Australia
Hosting the cup for the first time in more than 20 years means that there will be plenty of pressure on George Bailey or Michael Clarke’s men. The issue of whether Clarke is there or not is a minor one for me. Bailey has shown that he is a dependable, calm captain and Australia’s top six in one-day cricket at least has strength in depth.

In David Warner and Aaron Finch they have the most destructive opening partnership in world cricket, and Bailey, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner will provide the mid to late innings fireworks. Bowling wise there is depth in quicks but still some questions. The selectors have gambled by going without a wicket- taking spinner- the omission of Nathan Lyon is a contentious one as he had impressed in the UAE.

Australia’s fixation on having a left-arm spinner to complement the average part time off-spin of Maxwell may come back to haunt them, as Xavier Doherty won’t be keeping any batsmen up awake at night.

Prediction: semi finals – the pressure of hosting may get to Australia if chasing in a big quarter or semi final.

England
Perennial one-day strugglers in the last decade, England look to the World Cup as the beginning of a new era of English limited overs cricket. Converted Irishman Eoin Morgan takes the reins from Alastair Cook, and looks the man to motivate the fresh crop of youngsters.

Moeen Ali has been a revelation at the top of the order, and could easily be a star of this World Cup. If their x-factor all-rounders can fire – Chris Jordan and Chris Woakes – England could cause some serious damage. For once there is absolutely no expectation on England, and they could pull a surprise.

Prediction: quarter final

India
A young, flashy, destructive top six with the likes of Rohit Sharma coming off his incredible record 264, and we have seen this summer how good Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane are. Bowling is a huge worry though. While Dhoni comfortably rotates his bowlers in India, using a lot of Ravi Jadeja to provide control, in Australia his pace bowlers may struggle again.

However, India has the luxury of a tri-series in January in Australia to try and sort this out. One just feels, however, that they lack a genuine seam bowling all-rounder – don’t get me started on 120 kilometre per hour Stuart Binny, who has been somehow included.

Prediction: quarter final – come the crunch I don’t see their pace bowlers being able to defend a target.

New Zealand
Underestimate the Kiwis at your peril. The strongest looking (and performing) Black Caps side in years, they possess firepower up top in Brendon McCullum, who is in the form of his life, along with Ross Taylor and the dependable Kane Williamson. Luke Ronchi, who played a handful of ODIs for Australia before switching across the Tasman, is regularly playing dynamic cameos.

On the bowling front, unlike the stereotypical 130-kilometre Kiwi wobbling seamers, they have 150-kilometre hotshot – Shane Bond lookalike Adam Milne – along with Trent Boult. There are a couple of surprises in their squad announcement though – Grant Elliot returns after two years in the wilderness, and young gun James Neesham is left out.

Also, Matt Henry, with a bowling average of 15, has been dumped after taking a five-for in his last match. But they are a quality side, and in favourable conditions you can really see them going far or even all the way.

Prediction: final

Pakistan
You never know what to expect from Pakistan. In the last World Cup on these shores, rain saved them from being knocked out early before they surged to win the whole thing. In 2014 Pakistan played some fantastic Test cricket however their one day form was pitiful.

Unlike England they have kept their ageing, struggling one-day captain Misbah-ul-Haq, and plenty of questions remain over their top order in particular, with Nasir Jamshed failing in his audition as opener. Shahid Afridi has been batting with new found maturity but it will take something special for them to go far

Prediction: quarter finals – or can Ireland upset them again?

South Africa
The premier all-round side in the world, South Africa boast enviable riches in all departments, young and old. Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis are world class and Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel will relish the Aussie pitches.

Quinton de Kock found batting in Australia tough in the November tour but came good with a century in the final match. Currently injured he has been nevertheless included in the squad and should play a major role in the knockout stages. As ever the spin bowling department is a worry – Imran Tahir can be brilliant but more often is wastefully expensive. Thirty-year-old Aaron Phangiso is a tidy left-arm orthodox spinner who has had success in T20 cricket.

Prediction: winners – been predicted many times before, but 2015 may finally be the year.

Sri Lanka
No longer possessing underdog status, Sri Lanka were perennial finalists before finally breaking through to win the 2014 T20 World Cup. The final swan song for legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, they will put up a good display again.

However, Tillakaratne Dilshan’s opening partner remains an issue, as Sanath Jayasuriya clone Kusal Perera ran out of chances leaving either Mahela or young left hander Dimuth Karunaratne to fill the void. The clearance of gun spinner Sachithra Senanayake is a major boon as he is a canny short-form option. The pace attack still relies heavily on Lasith Malinga, however his recent injuries are a worry.

Sri Lanka over the years have enjoyed Australian conditions, in one-day cricket anyway, and their clash with Australia at the SCG will be a cracker.

Prediction: semi final

West Indies
Ah the Windies. On paper they can potentially have the best limited overs XI in the world. Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith opening, the classy Darren Bravo at three and Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy and Andre Russell, all capable of hitting sixes in franchise T20 competitions for fun.

Sunil Narine is almost impossible to hit at times. But Pollard and Bravo have been dumped after the contract saga which saw the team leave their tour of India. For all of the failings of the administrators in running the game in the West Indies, for me this is the worst of it all. To not send a full strength team to the World Cup is frankly a disgrace.

Still, there enough in the team to produce a decent showing, but how Jason Holder, with just 20 ODIs, is expected to lead is beyond me. If Denesh Ramdin is considered an adequate leader in Tests then why can’t he be trusted with the job in ODIs? It all makes no sense. You never know though.

Prediction: could collapse in a group stage exit, or could make the semis if it comes together

Don’t discount Ireland and Bangladesh, who could potentially only need one upset to reach the quarter finals. Bangladesh in particular have a decent squad, apart from stars Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal look out for pacey young gun Taskin Ahmed.

Zimbabwe also have the talent in their squad to pull off an upset, look out for former Melbourne Renegade Solomon Mire. But they have one of the more bizarre selections in Proper Utseya, an off-spinner who has been recently banned from bowling off-spin.

One thing’s for sure though, it is going to be a fantastic tournament.