Australia is Gilchrist's favourites, says knockouts haven't gone well for England and SA

Australian great Adam Gilchrist Tuesday picked his country as favourite to win the World Cup and wondered if home side England and South Africa have it in them to prevail in the knockouts.

England are the World No. 1 side and will play the showpiece event on their own shores having struck phenomenal form with the bat that has carried them to 11 straight bilateral ODI series wins.

But Gilchrist put his money on Australia to add to their five world titles.

At Fox Cricket's World Cup launch, when asked who will win it, the former keeper-batsman said: "Australia. Certainly on paper they're as competitive as anyone with the names that are there now and the momentum they built up in the one-day format once they left Australian shores.

"Obviously there's confidence there. I just like what I'm seeing and five out of 12 World Cups have come this way so I can't see any reason why we can't win another one."
"And I think a lot of shoots are forming from the seeds of leadership Justin Langer planted as well and I think they're coming together really nicely."
"The hype is going to grow and grow and I'm expecting they'll get through to the semis but then it's just a knockout game and that's the fear isn't it?