Dethroned at top but Aussies still the most dangerous: McGrath

Sydney, Feb 19 (UNI) Four losses in the last five one-dayers but veteran medium pacer Glenn McGrath says he is not worried about Australia's World Cup prospects as the recent debacles have made the defending champions all the more dangerous in the mega-event next month.

Writing in his column for 'The Daily Telegraph', McGrath said despite the shocking setbacks, the Australians were still going to be the most feared team in the World Cup as they have just way too much talent at their disposal.

''We've got time to refocus and I know that when we get to the World Cup we are still going to be the team that everybody will fear. There's far too much talent in this team not to succeed, and everyone knows their role and the job ahead,'' McGrath said.

''Maybe what has happened is a blessing. There's no use going to the World Cup having already peaked, and this way we know we have to work on our games and build up into some form over the first couple of matches,'' McGrath added, as he sought to deflect criticism of his team's poor recent form.

Australia lost the ODI tri-nation series to England in the finals after being unbeaten in the league stages and more recently went down 0-2 to New Zealand in the three-match Chappell-Hadlee series.

However, the veteran bowler said his team's losing steak was more of a result of injuries than lack of talent. McGrath said the Aussies missed several key players in the series against New Zealand but admitted that it could not be used as an excuse for the debacles.

''We have some guys injured and there's no doubt we missed Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee yesterday. Ricky Ponting is resting and Adam Gilchrist is also taking a short break,'' he pointed out.

McGrath said losing the tri-series finals' to England was more painful than the recent loss to New Zealand but reiterated that the defeats will have no bearing on Australia's World Cup preparations.

''Have the wheels fallen off our World Cup campaign? No. Everyone was saying we were no chance before the previous World Cup, taking Michael Bevan away carrying an injury and losing Warney due to his drug suspension prior to the tournament. But we went through undefeated,'' McGrath said as he recalled the pre-World Cup problems that plagued Australia in 2003.

UNI