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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Champions Trophy team guide </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><A name=top></A>
<MAP name=1159858627><AREA shape=RECT alt=Australia coords=0,9,79,105 href="#australia"><AREA shape=RECT alt=Bangladesh coords=83,8,162,106 href="#bangladesh"><AREA shape=RECT alt=England coords=167,8,244,106 href="#england"><AREA shape=RECT alt=India coords=250,9,328,108 href="#india"><AREA shape=RECT alt="New Zealand" coords=332,8,410,105 href="#newzealand"><AREA shape=RECT alt=Pakistan coords=1,109,79,207 href="#pakistan"><AREA shape=RECT alt="South Africa" coords=83,110,162,207 href="#southafrica"><AREA shape=RECT alt="Sri Lanka" coords=167,110,245,205 href="#srilanka"><AREA shape=RECT alt="West Indies" coords=249,109,328,206 href="#westindies"><AREA shape=RECT alt=Zimbabwe coords=332,109,409,206 href="#zimbabwe"></MAP>
The 10 best teams will do battle in the next four weeks for the second biggest prize in world cricket - the ICC Champions Trophy.
Defending champions West Indies begin their campaign in the qualifying round, while the likes of world champions Australia, hosts India and England start the following week.
With the World Cup only five months away, the matches are likely to provide clues as to where each side is in its planning for the main event.
BBC Sport takes a look at the competitors...
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<A name=australia></A>
<DIV class=ch1>AUSTRALIA</DIV>
Champions history pedigree: Surprisingly, only two semi-finals in four attempts. But the Aussies have won two World Cups and just about everything else in that time so can be forgiven for this aberration.
One-day record since last Champions Trophy: P55 W38 L13 T/NR4
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Coach - John Buchanan: Triumphs galore for Queensland and Australia - but the former schoolteacher's unorthodox ideas - such as blind fielding practice - led Shane Warne to say: "His methods over-complicate issues and at some stages he has lacked common sense." Buchanan will not be in charge for much longer, having confirmed he will be leaving after next year's World Cup.
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Captain - Ricky Ponting: One of the all-time great batsmen and a phenomenally successful skipper but "Punter" threw the toys out of the pram when ex-England spinner Phil Tufnell taunted the Aussies after their Ashes misery. "For someone who never did anything against us it was hard to swallow," he lashed out.
Big hitter - Andrew Symonds Birmingham-born ("but I'm a fair dinkum Aussie") Symonds holds the record for sixes in a first-class innings (16) and his highest score of 156 last December against New Zealand featured eight maximums.
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Bad hair day - Andrew Symonds: "Roy" wins this one hands down too. He's a big lad, mind you, so not many have dared to mention it to his face.
[B]He's a real chara
<MAP name=1159858627><AREA shape=RECT alt=Australia coords=0,9,79,105 href="#australia"><AREA shape=RECT alt=Bangladesh coords=83,8,162,106 href="#bangladesh"><AREA shape=RECT alt=England coords=167,8,244,106 href="#england"><AREA shape=RECT alt=India coords=250,9,328,108 href="#india"><AREA shape=RECT alt="New Zealand" coords=332,8,410,105 href="#newzealand"><AREA shape=RECT alt=Pakistan coords=1,109,79,207 href="#pakistan"><AREA shape=RECT alt="South Africa" coords=83,110,162,207 href="#southafrica"><AREA shape=RECT alt="Sri Lanka" coords=167,110,245,205 href="#srilanka"><AREA shape=RECT alt="West Indies" coords=249,109,328,206 href="#westindies"><AREA shape=RECT alt=Zimbabwe coords=332,109,409,206 href="#zimbabwe"></MAP>
The 10 best teams will do battle in the next four weeks for the second biggest prize in world cricket - the ICC Champions Trophy.
Defending champions West Indies begin their campaign in the qualifying round, while the likes of world champions Australia, hosts India and England start the following week.
With the World Cup only five months away, the matches are likely to provide clues as to where each side is in its planning for the main event.
BBC Sport takes a look at the competitors...
<HR>
<A name=australia></A>
<DIV class=ch1>AUSTRALIA</DIV>
Champions history pedigree: Surprisingly, only two semi-finals in four attempts. But the Aussies have won two World Cups and just about everything else in that time so can be forgiven for this aberration.
One-day record since last Champions Trophy: P55 W38 L13 T/NR4
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=66 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Coach - John Buchanan: Triumphs galore for Queensland and Australia - but the former schoolteacher's unorthodox ideas - such as blind fielding practice - led Shane Warne to say: "His methods over-complicate issues and at some stages he has lacked common sense." Buchanan will not be in charge for much longer, having confirmed he will be leaving after next year's World Cup.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=66 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Captain - Ricky Ponting: One of the all-time great batsmen and a phenomenally successful skipper but "Punter" threw the toys out of the pram when ex-England spinner Phil Tufnell taunted the Aussies after their Ashes misery. "For someone who never did anything against us it was hard to swallow," he lashed out.
Big hitter - Andrew Symonds Birmingham-born ("but I'm a fair dinkum Aussie") Symonds holds the record for sixes in a first-class innings (16) and his highest score of 156 last December against New Zealand featured eight maximums.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=66 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Bad hair day - Andrew Symonds: "Roy" wins this one hands down too. He's a big lad, mind you, so not many have dared to mention it to his face.
[B]He's a real chara
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