Ricky Ponting (captain)



Age: 32
Right-hand bat
Average: 42.48
Strike rate 79.58

The world's second-ranked batsmen in one-day cricket. Has played in the last three World Cup finals, captaining Australia to victory in 2003 and winning man of the match in the final against India after an unbeaten 140.

 
  Nathan Bracken



Age: 29
Left-arm fast-medium bowler
Economy rate: 4.45   

Made his international debut six years ago as part of Australia's search for a world-class left-arm quick but did not cement a permanent place until 2005. Was called into the Australian squad for the 2003 World Cup to replace the injured Jason Gillespie but did not play a match.

  Stuart Clark



Age: 31
Right-arm fast-medium bowler
Economy rate: 5.48

Clark was a late replacement in the squad for the injured Brett Lee.

The New South Wales product was a confusing omission from the initial touring party after consistent displays in the recent Ashes and Commonwealth Bank series'. Similar in stature to Glenn McGrath, Clark is seen as the perfect replacement for the retiring Australian legend.

 
  Michael Clarke



Age: 25
Right-hand bat, left-arm orthodox slow bowler
Average: 42.54
Strike rate: 81.28
Economy rate: 5.18

The golden boy of Australian cricket, Clarke was tipped as future captain before he had even played his first match. A dashing middle-order batsmen, acrobatic fielder and handy spin bowler, Clarke enjoyed a whirlwind start to his international career before it all came to an abrupt halt when he was dropped in 2005. He quickly fought his way back into the side and is one of Australia's key players for the World Cup.

 
  Adam Gilchrist



Age: 35
Wicketkeeper, left-hand bat
Average: 35.62
Strike rate: 96.29

A capable wicketkeeper but better known as one of the most destructive one-day batsmen of all time who scores his runs at an electrifying pace. A player for the big occasion, he scored half-centuries in each of the past two World Cup finals. Is one of only two players to be selected in the ICC's world one-day XI in each of the three years the honorary team has been selected.

Brad Haddin
Age: 29
Wicketkeeper, right-hand bat
Average: 25.94
Strike rate: 80.93

As Australia's back-up wicketkeeper to Adam Gilchrist, Haddin's appearances for his country have been limited but he is also a capable batsmen who has scored seven first-class hundreds.

 
  Matthew Hayden



Age: 35
Left-hand bat
Average: 41.72
Strike rate: 76.22

Briefly held the world record holder for the highest score in test cricket (380) and set the highest one-day score by an Australian with his unbeaten 181 against New Zealand in Australia's last match before the World Cup, despite batting with a broken toe. Opened the batting for Australia in the last World Cup, scoring 37 in the final against India. Dropped from the team last year but secured his place for the World Cup with a century against New Zealand in January.

  Brad Hodge



Age: 32
Right-hand bat
Average: 33.09
Strike rate: 84.25

Prolific scorer in Australia's domestic competition but lost his place in the test side after just five matches despite making an unbeaten double-century and averaging almost 60. Recalled to the one-day side in January and booked his place for the Caribbean with a matchwinning 99 not out against New Zealand.

Brad Hogg
Age: 36
Left-arm wrist-spinner, left-hand batsman
Economy rate: 4.54
Average: 20.00
Strike rate: 77.92.

Has been in and one of the Australian one-day team for a decade but made a name for himself at the 2003 World Cup when he was thrust into the role of chief spinner when Shane Warne was sent home for failing a doping test.

  Mike Hussey



Age: 31
Left-hand bat
Average: 66.88
Strike rate: 91.33

Waited more than a decade after his first-class debut before finally being called into the national side in 2004 but has never looked back, winning the 2006 award as the world's best one-day player. A brilliant fieldsmen and versatile batsmen, who can fill any place in the order, Hussey's greatest attribute is his coolness chasing runs under pressure.

Mitchell Johnson
Age: 25
Left-arm fast-medium bowler
Economy rate: 5.33   

Tall, left-handed paceman who was described by Dennis Lillee as a "once in a generation bowler". Was fast-tracked into the Australian team in late 2005 and underlined his potential when he claimed the prized wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh in a devastating four-over burst in Malaysia last year.

 
  Glenn McGrath



Age: 37
Right-arm fast-medium bowler
Economy rate: 3.86   

The spearhead of Australia's attack for more than a decade and Australia's leading wicket-taker in one-day internationals. Playing in his fourth and final World Cup after announcing his retirement from international cricket after this tournament.

 
 Andrew Symonds



Age: 31
Right-hand batsman, right-arm medium pace or off-spin bowler
Average: 38.81
Strike rate: 92.04
Economy rate: 4.97   

One of the biggest hitters in world cricket. Made his one-day international debut in 1998 but did not fulfill his talent until the 2003 World Cup with a century against New Zealand. Has struggled for consistency but remains one of the most dangerous players in the game. Likely to miss the first half of the World Cup after undergoing surgery to his bicep in a tri-series tournament at home in January.

  Shaun Tait



Age: 24
Right-arm fast bowler
Economy rate: 5.58

A surprise selection in the squad after making his one-day international debut in February. Is genuinely fast and has an unusual slinging action. Possesses a mean yorker and is one of the few Australians who can regularly reverse swing the ball.

 
  Shane Watson



Age: 25
Right-arm fast-medium bowler, right-hand batsman
Economy rate: 4.89
Average: 30.57
Strike rate: 73.41

Talented all-rounder whose promising career has been stalled by injuries. Missed the 2003 World Cup with stress fractures and more recently missed the entire Ashes series with a hamstring problem. A powerful hitter who is equally effective at opener or in the middle-order, Watson showed what he is capable of when he was named man-of-the-match in Australia's breakthrough victory at last year's Champions trophy in India.

John Buchanan
Age: 53
Coach

Former teacher and university lecturer who played just seven first-class matches before embarking on a career as a coach. Led Queensland to their first Australian domestic title before replacing Geoff Marsh as national coach in 1999, winning the World Cup in 2003 and helping Australia to a record sequence of wins in test and one-day cricket.