Australia will head into September's Champions Trophy with their position as undisputed one-day world champions well intact after their series sweep of a woeful West Indies.While the venue for tournament remains in doubt following a weekend bombing in Pakistan, there should be no such indecision about the favourites for the Trophy.
Australia's new-look one-day side was quick to dispel thoughts of any downturn in performance following the retirements of Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and Brad Hogg since last year's World Cup triumph.
South Africa had edged their way in front on top of the one-day rankings after Australia's 2-0 loss to India in the final of the summer tri-series but, with a 5-0 result in the Caribbean, Australia have again jumped well ahead of the pack.
Ponting may have reluctantly admitted his new-look Test team could no longer expect to dominate opposition the way it had following a hard fought 2-0 Test series win against the West Indies, but there was no such concession from either the captain or stand-in skipper Michael Clarke during Australia's one-day tour finale - and with good reason.
The Windies whitewash came with imposing opener Matthew Hayden (Achilles injury) missing the entire series and both keeper Brad Haddin (broken finger) and Ponting (wrist) flying home early.
It also featured a string of leading performances by the newest additions to the team, as well as the returning Shane Watson.
Shaun Marsh top-scored with 81 on debut, while fellow newcomers David Hussey and Luke Ronchi scored two of the four fastest 50s in Australian one-history on their first ODI tour.
Allrounder Watson, meanwhile, claimed the man-of-the-series award and, after an injury-hampered career, will likely head into the Champions Trophy brimming with confidence as Hayden's opening partner.
Clarke, who took over the reins of the one-day team for the first time in games four and five with Ponting injured, stressed during the series the importance of bringing new players into a winning environment.
“It's about showing the new guys that ... we want to win every game,” Clarke said.
“That's what I'm accustomed to. It becomes a habit you try to get in to. You want to win.
“And I guess the greatest strength of the Australian cricket team is when you lose, you feel it like you would not believe.
“Whether it's a one-day game, a Twenty20 game, whatever game it is, you really feel it.
“And that's because we have a great habit of winning 90 per cent of the games we play.
“In my mind, we're still - and hopefully will be for sometime yet - the No.1 team in the world.”
After wrapping up the tour with a record 169-run win in St Kitts on Sunday, the team departed the Caribbean with players to have the next six weeks off before returning to camp next month ahead of the three-match one-day series against Bangladesh in Darwin.
Haddin is expected to be fit for the winter series, with Hayden also eyeing the games as his international return.
Ponting, though, could yet bypass the series in order to be fully fit for the Champions Trophy, having undergone surgery on his wrist this week.
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