The Proteas squad:
"The Proteas have assembled a good squad, and they have been together for a while. However, there are a few inexperienced members in the squad - if the Proteas suffer a few injuries, that inexperience might be exposed."

South Africa's key men:
"Definitely Graeme Smith. If Smith has a good series with the bat, South Africa will have a very good chance of winning the competition. They will need fast starts at the top of the order, and then someone like Jacques Kallis to bat through the innings. The middle part of the innings will be tough."

Other favourites:
"It seems to be a very open tournament, with a lot of teams playing very good cricket at the moment. New Zealand are a team to watch - their batting has improved tremendously. India are also very unpredictable - you never know what to expect."

Stars to watch:
"The great players are going to shine at this World Cup. There are lots of fantastic players in each team. The ones that perform consistently will stand out from the rest. Experience will be a deciding factor in consistent performances."

Conditions:
"No one really knows how the conditions are going to play out. West Indian pitches usually are slower and produce lower bounce. There is talk about the new wickets being quicker, but nothing has been confirmed as yet."

Nicknamed 'The Banker' for his consistent batting, Gary Kirsten was a gutsy top-order player who ended his 101-game Test career with a typically determined 76 as SA levelled the series against New Zealand away from home. Kirsten also holds the record for the highest-ever individual World Cup score - 188 not out against UAE in 1996.

By Phil Coetzer