Prediction For The Australia Vs Rest Of The World Matches

When trying to avoid making a prediction regarding a major sporting event, commentators and journalists will often sum up with the fatuous comment: it is a question of who wants it more.

However, for the forthcoming Australia vs Rest of the World this comment couldn't be more true and should be used to explain why Australia are far more likely to win these matches and why the whole thing should never have taken place in the first place.

Following a disappointing Ashes series (oh the restraint ...) many of the Australian players will be fighting for their places and they all will have the pride and purpose that comes with playing for your country. The Rest of the World players have no sense of national pride to play for, no threat of losing their places and certainly no sense of unity. It is clear that Inzamam-ul-Haq only reluctantly agreed to play following pressure from the Pakistan cricket board; one wonders how many others are playing under similar pressures.

Sadly the question: "Who wants it more?" Is unlikely to be asked, because in this case it is not fatuous, it is too close to the truth.