Australia the team to beat at World Cup: Vaughan

London, Nov 23 (IANS) Former England captain Michael Vaughan Sunday said that having hit upon a rich vein of form against South Africa, Australia have emerged as the front-runners and will be the team to beat at the World Cup in their own backyard, starting Feb 14 next year.

Australia thrashed South Africa 4-1 in a five-match ODI series, which concluded Sunday, serving a warning to rival teams about their capability to win the World Cup at home. And Vaughan was quick to recognise that.

"Hate to say it but Australia are the team to beat at WC.... #Justsaying," Vauhan wrote on social networking site Twitter.

The four-time World Champions also returned to the top of the One-Day International (ODI) Team Rankings Sunday, displacing India, after beating South Africa.

Australia next are scheduled to participate in a Jan 16 - Feb 1 triangular series with India and England, starting in Melbourne after hosting India for a four-match Test series.