Have West Indies reached their tipping point?

By John Cheeran
Who will win today?
My vote goes to Ricky Ponting's Australia.
They are world champions. But West Indies are the defending champions.
It has to be remembered that Brian Lara's team has defeated Australia twice in the last two months. In the group stage of the Champions Trophy West Indies beat Australia.
It is a pointer towards the World Cup to be staged in West Indies the next year.
I will not be surprised if Brian Lara holds aloft the World Cup next year.
But for now I pick Australia as winners in Mumbai.
Australians have regrouped after the loss to West Indies and showed to the world that they have depth in both batting and bowling.
Any team that can boast of a fast bowler to open its batting should be feared in one-day cricket.
Not just that. Apart from Shane Watson, Australia's second opener is Adam Gilchrist, who should be in any team for his wicketkeeping abilities alone.
By deploying Gilchrist and Watson to open their innings, Australia hold a double advantage over their opponents. And you are absolutely justified in asking why India, the financial nerve centre of world cricket, cannot throw up such players. Yes, we have Mahendra Singh Dhoni and soon Rahul Dravid ask him to open the batting, the better for India's World Cup campaign.
And Australia can trust their bowling to back up their batsmen.
If there is anyone who can hit Glenn McGrath out of firing line it has to be only Chris Gayle. Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken are tireless customers and not to speak of the allround abilities of Andrew Symonds.
Still, Lara has proved that such an Aussie side could be finessed.
And in that world's finest batsman rely on the atomic start his opener Gayle gives and a fine array of stroke makers such as Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Bravo.
Suddenly West Indies bowlers have become a bit more disciplined; may be the presence of a stalwart such as Clive Lloyd has helped.
And how can I forget Brian Lara.
If today West Indies should win, Lara will have to bat like the way only he can. Unfazed by adversity, and unfurling all his strokes.
May be, just may be, West Indies may have reached their tipping point.