In as much as it is going to be a battle of the marsupials -- the Kangaroo and the Springbok both belonging to the hopping variety -- it is the Aussies who now have a spring in their step. Their famed leggie Shane Warne, whose tongue is now more lethal than his flipper, has already forecast an Australia-Pakistan final. That must be galling for the Proteas, whose pride, not to speak of confidence, took a knocking after they failed to defend a handsome 271 at Headingly last week.

Yes, it's the South Africans who look a little lame, after they looked to be running away with the Cup early on. The Aussies, on the other hand, looked about assecure and spry as the Serbian forces in retreat, as they were shellacked by all and sundry early on, including their tetchy neighbours from deep Down Under.

If indeed Australia go all the way, there will be plenty of people, especially the Aussie media contingent -- and present company too -- who will have to eat crow, or whatever the humble pie equivalent is in those parts. But what a stirring comeback it has been.

Central to this recovery has been the batting form of the brothers Waugh, whose euphonious name has driven smartalecky headline writers to ecstasy. Between them, the twins have made some 40 per cent of the Australian runs (Steve 342 and Mark 338), including the younger (by half-a-minute) Mark's matchwinning knock against India and the elder Steve's epic effort against the Proteas. Add to that McGrath's return to rude good form and Shane Warne's stranglehold over the Springbok middleorder, especially Cullinan, and its easy to see why the Aussies have the South African number.

But the SouthAfrican camp says it is ready for Waugh. Or Waughs. Twice the Springboks have been denied in the World Cup and this time their singlemindedness has been evident from Day One. If you look at it squarely though, their decline in form in this tournament is a trifle exaggerated. In fact, they haven't won because they are in form. They've won because of their depth -- and grit. And their losses have really been superficial.

After all, they lost only one game in the league stage -- to Zimbabwe -- when they had already made the Super Six. And the only other game they lost in the Super Six -- to Australia -- was when they had qualified for the semis, although no one will say they played easy. Plus they were without their star allrounder Jacques Kallis, whose absence meant Cronje and the spinner Boje had to cover the fifth bowler's spot (and they went for 79).

Truly, South Africa remains the team who have achieved the most in the World Cup with the least spectacular top drawer performances. If you count out Gibbs'hundred in the last game, their batting has revolved around Kallis (259) and Klusener (250). So too the bowling with Klusener bagging 17 and Kallis 7.

Their top batsmen have all had a wretched time with Cronje (98 in seven innings topping the list). Faring no better, Jonty Rhodes (118 in seven), Mark Boucher (74 in seven). And only marginally better, Cullinan (210 in eight) and Kirsten (211 in eight). Yeah, you could say they haven't set the stands alight. In fact, the only arsonists were from India and they have gone home.

Their bowlers have underperformed too, with Donald (12) and Pollock (4) far below their best. But Edgbaston is their old stomping ground. The man they call White Lightning having played 14 seasons for Warwickshire here and Pollock put in a couple of seasons more recently. They have plenty of reputation to keep. And salvage.