By Oliver Brett

The ICC Champions Trophy is over and now cricket's leading nations have barely four months to prepare for the World Cup in the West Indies.

So, how do results in India over the past month leave the top contenders at this critical stage of preparation?

Australia: The winners of the last two World Cups finally won an overdue Champions Trophy and are building up a nice head of steam at an opportune time, with no injury worries to speak of. Typical.

Ricky Ponting talks of a new squad "blending youth and experience" but the truth is there are plenty of familiar old-timers knocking about who can still put in an honest day's work and who aren't used to losing.

Odds: 2/1 favourites

India: Early in the year, a young Indian side looked in great shape, but results have started to slip at the wrong time and failing to get out of their group on home soil at the Champions Trophy was a shock.

There are complaints that coach Greg Chappell has created a batting order that is too fluid. The positives are that Munaf Patel is still bowling nicely and Sachin Tendulkar is refreshed and has a wonderful World Cup record.

Odds: 15/2

South Africa: They have four survivors from the 1999 squad that should have won the World Cup and many more from the 2003 one that went down with a whimper on home soil.

In theory, they should go far if the bowlers stay fit, but that's a big if - Andre Nel and Shaun Pollock have been crocked all too regularly recently. Beat the Windies 5-0 in the Caribbean last year.

Odds: 8/1

Pakistan: With a well-balanced, talented side gently nurtured by Bob Woolmer, they looked every inch World Cup contenders until the drugs-enforced suspension of their two leading fast bowlers, Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar.

Their absence clearly affected Pakistan's Champions Trophy campaign as they crashed to heavy defeats against New Zealand and South Africa. Pending an unlikely successful appeal, Asif and Shoaib will also miss the World Cup.

Odds: 8/1

West Indies: After thrashing India in a home series and reaching the Champions Trophy final, they are a form team and will be on home soil - though that has proved more of a hindrance than a help in past World Cups.

A more long-term examination of their results suggests fans in the Caribbean should not be too excited just yet, and the weak area for them is middle order batting. Marlon Samuels and Runako Morton do not blow hot often enough.

Odds: 9/1

Sri Lanka: With one of the most talented batting cohorts around at the moment and a pair of experienced and effective bowlers - Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan - they command respect.

They were, however, expected to come through their group at the Champions Trophy and failed to do so, meaning coach Tom Moody has plenty to work on between now and March.

Odds: 10/1

England: When they are good (all too rarely) they are a pretty handy side; when they are bad they are embarrassingly awful. England's pyjama-clad team are a poor imitation of the XI that take to the field in whites.

They will have one of the most inexperienced squads at the World Cup and nobody quite knows who the captain will be, who will open the batting or bowling, or who will keep wickets. Terrific.

Odds: 10/1

New Zealand: Quite how the Kiwis have ended up in the same group as England is a mystery as they are probably the one team Andrew Flintoff's boys stand a good chance of beating.

Take nothing away from their semi-final spot in the Champions Trophy, but New Zealand's batting remains fragile - a weakness that can be exploited by good bowling attacks whatever the quality of the wickets in the Caribbean.

Odds: 12/1

Bangladesh: Six years on from their entry into Test cricket's family, and with a large population many of whom are obsessed about cricket, progress remains slow for Bangladesh.

Produced a thrilling performance in June 2005 to beat Australia in Cardiff, but such occurrences are all too rare. Don't stand a cat in hell's chance in the Caribbean but Shahriar Nafees is a batsman worth watching.

Odds: 300/1

Zimbabwe: The rest of the cricket world produced a collective shudder when hearing that Zimbabwe would be re-admitted to the Test arena in November 2007, because this collection of novices is simply not up to it.

In terms of one-day cricket, they do deserve credit for beating Bangladesh in a home series in August but how many of their team can you name? Their best player is skipper Prosper Utseya, a slow bowler.

Odds: 400/1

Summary: Australia are stand-out favourites, but if they do get to the final it's hard to say who they would most likely face with so little separating seven other teams.

Which two teams do you think will make the final?