Australian cricket stars confident team could make 2015 World Cup finals

Former Test cricketer Mike Hussey and Australian one-day vice-captain George Bailey have expressed confidence that Australia could qualify for the Melbourne finals of the 2015 World Cup, preparing its team in time.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Hussey and Bailey argued there was sufficient time between now and Australia's opening match on February 14 in 2015 to transform the team, which failed to qualify for the finals of the recent Champions Trophy.

Hussey, who was part of Australia's last World Cup-winning team in 2007, was bullish about the current one-day team, which ranks fourth in the 50-over format, the report said.

However, he said that there was enough time and Australia needed to identify quickly who they thought were going to be the players taking the team to World Cup glory, and show faith in those guys.

Melbourne, the venue for the event launch on Tuesday, was confirmed as host of Australia's opening match, against England and the nation's biggest venue was also confirmed as host of one of the four quarter-finals and also the final, the latter to be played as a day-night match on March 29, the report added.