Will Australia win the World Cup?

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Will Australia make it four in a row and win the 2011 ICC World Cup on the sub-continent? There are good reasons to think they will - and several to suggest they won't.

Cricket World Cup Winners Which team will win the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup?Australia Bangladesh Canada England India Ireland Kenya Netherlands New Zealand Pakistan South Africa Sri Lanka West Indies Zimbabwe

We've teamed up with Fox Sports Stats to come up with five reasons why it will happen - and five reasons why it won't - and want you to have your say at the bottom of the page.

FIVE REASONS WHY AUSTRALIA WILL WIN THE 2011 WORLD CUP

Been there, done that
Only eight players at the 2011 World Cup have been part of a successful Cup campaign before and all but one of them are Australian. Skipper Ricky Ponting knows exactly what it takes to win a World Cup and his experience under pressure will be invaluable. He may not have the cattle at his disposal this time around, but Australia's unbeaten run in 2007 will work in their favour.

Get it India
Contrary to popular belief, Australia has a great one-day international record on the sub-continent. In 22 matches there since 2006 the Aussies have won 15 and lost just six, including 12 wins in India. Their capitulation in the opening warm-up matches is a worrying sign on the eve of the tournament, but the stats don't lie.

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Form guide
While we're led to believe it's all doom and gloom in Australian cricket at the moment, Australia's ODI form is as good as anyone's in the world. They have lost just nine of their past 32 one-day internationals for an impressive winning percentage of almost 69%. When they won the Cup four years ago, they had a winning percentage of just 64% in the 12 months before the tournament. It's also important to remember that Australia are still the No.1-ranked side in the world.

Punter's track record - and pride
Some say he's over the hill, some say he's out of form and some say he shouldn't even be there. But of all the captain at the World Cup, Ricky Ponting's ODI win-loss record on the sub-continent is better than anyone's. And one thing he has in spades is pride. Battered and bruised after his third Ashes defeat, the skipper has returned to the national set-up more determined than ever and in form with the bat. Mark Waugh has tipped Punter to have a big tournament and it'd be a brave man to bet against him.

Hoodoo gurus
England have never lifted the Cup, India haven't won the tournament in 28 years and South Africa choke more than the All Blacks on the big stage. The only country that doesn't have a hoodoo to overcome in 2011 is Sri Lanka, who won the tournament last time it was on the sub-continent. For Australia to be denied another World Cup triumph this time around, some records will have to be broken.

Have you stacked your Fantasy World Cup side with Aussies - or have you avoided them like the plague? Hurry to enter your team before the first game.

FIVE REASONS WHY AUSTRALIA WON'T WIN THE 2011 WORLD CUP

Your turn
The golden rule of sub-continental cricket is to chock your side full of tweakers and spin your way to victory. Unfortunately for Australia, their already depleted spin stocks were hit hard by injury a month out from the tournament. Australia's No.1 man Jason Krejza can produce more spin than a politician, but his inexperience and high economy rate may work against him. The part-timers of David Hussey, Steve Smith and Michael Clarke will need to contribute if Australia are to be successful.

Good, but not great
Ahead of the 2003 World Cup, six of the world's top-20 ranked cricketers were Australian. In 2007, four of the top 20 wore the green and gold. Going into the 2011 tournament, Mitchell Johnson is the lone Aussie on the list. You only have to ask South Africa to know that a team of champions doesn't make a champion team. But unlike previous years, Australia don't have the likes of Gilchrist, McGrath, Hayden, Warne and Bevan to get them out of trouble.

Brittle middle
If the past six months has taught us anything, it's that Australia's batsman can collapse and collapse in a big way. Cameron White, David Hussey and Steve Smith are explosive batsman and valuable assets to the side, but Australia lacks the sturdiness of Mike Hussey and Michael Bevan they called on in 1999, 2003 and 2007. The loss of Hussey to injury could be the difference between a fourth-straight crown and an early exit.

Speed kills
What do Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson have in common? In a word, they are all fast. Very fast. Lee and Tait have been a part of successful World Cup campaigns before, but not in the same team. In 2003, the speed of Lee was complemented by the reliability of Glenn McGrath and the accuracy of Andy Bichel. In 2007, the express pace of Tait was supported by McGrath and the subtlety of Nathan Bracken. The lack of variety in Australia's pace attack might work against them.

No fear, but loathing
There is little doubt that the second favourite team of non-Australian fans at this World Cup will be the team playing against Australia. After 12 long years, the rest of the world is waiting for the Aussies to be knocked off their perch and this is their best chance to do it. Even more worrying for Australia is that their aura has all but vanished. Three Ashes defeats and a tumble down world cricket's pecking order has given the world the belief that the great Aussies are ripe for the picking.