India's great win at Lord's in the NatWest Triangular in England supports my theory that along with Australia, Pakistan and South Africa, India are going to be front-runners for the 2003 World Cup. I was particularly impressed by three young players. The first, Ashish Nehra, looks not only a good seamer but also a real fiery one-good news this for India. The second is Virender Sehwag who is able to destroy opening attacks and is almost a clone of the great Sachin Tendulkar. Finally there is Yuvraj Singh who hits the ball as cleanly as any player in world cricket today. Combine this with the talents of Sourav Ganguly and Tendulkar, the skill and artistry of Anil Kumble and India are developing a really fine squad.

ALL ATTACK: Australians try to bowl teams out, not just contain them

One-day cricket is evolving at a serious pace. Inevitably, with the advent of fielding restrictions and changes in laws, captains and coaches will have to remain alert. Surfaces, conditions, types of balls are all making that little difference. While pinch-hitters like Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana were so dominant in the 1996 World Cup in the subcontinent, the 1999 World Cup-with a different ball and early season surfaces in England-changed tactics again.

I cast my mind back to my first tour with South Africa with Kepler Wessels as captain in 1994. With Pakistan and Australia as the opponents in Pakistan, it was excellent planning for the following year's World Cup. We lost all six games. In order to find out where we were going wrong, I spent time with the opposition to find out what they thought of us and what their tactics were.

Cover Story

New Moves » STRIKE FORCE: The Australian team tries to bowl the opposition out, using its main bowlers to have a go at new batsmen. » STAND UP: Wicketkeepers stand up to the stumps even to medium pacers. Cuts the batsman's option of using his feet. » DOUBLE THE COVER: Top teams pressurise the batsmen by having their best fielders standing closer to the bat. » BLOW AWAY: explosive openers are now the norm in the game.

I asked Aamir Sohail what Pakistan's target was for the first 12 overs and I was told 48! Today you would be unhappy if you had 60 on the subcontinent. South African target in those days was 36. No wonder we lost. I remember suggesting to Wessels that we up the rate slightly and was given short shrift,with Wessels saying, "You try and score quickly against Wasim and Waqar." Well, it wasn't long before we had to or perish in the attempt. Now bowling in the first 15 is a nightmare.

World Cup 2003 in South Africa will no doubt set a new trend. India have played there recently and will have noted the type of surfaces that they will have to prepare for, as have Australia. Indeed, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are visiting soon too.

DESTROYER: Players of Sehwag's ability are necessities today

I have been studying the approach of many of the sides and before I dissect them it remains necessary to say that there are basic disciplines in the one-day game-for example, cramping the batsmen for room, not easy these days especially with the leg-side wide.

The Australians have been very successful in employing the tactic of trying to continually bowl out the opposition and this is a relatively new gambit. Other sides too have employed this method, such as Sri Lanka when Muttiah Muralitharan bowls to a new batsman and India with Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. But the Aussies tend to do it with pace more often, although Shane Warne is capable of destroying the middle order.

In its infancy in 1996, video and computer technology is now in full flow and every ball, dismissal patterns are studied in detail. So everyone is better prepared. Recently Gloucestershire were very successful in employing wicketkeeper Jack Russell up to the stumps with both medium pace and spin, trying to cut down the batsman's option of using his feet. Gavin Larsen of New Zealand too was very adept at bowling with the keeper up to the stumps. So the pinch-hitter has become a new type of player-a lower-order allrounder with a good batting pedigree who comes in to try and destroy the new-ball attack. Will people go back to the spinner opening the bowling?

In the past, the field used to immediately spread after the 15th over; now it stays in. Wickets and a reduction in the run-scoring rate are almost prerequisites. New batting options are now the norm and players of the ability of Sehwag are a necessity, not a luxury.

I wonder what we can expect. I know if I was coach of a team I would definitely ask the ICC to allow me to use the earpiece so that we can give the players options and confidence in what they are doing. Role definition within a team will be vital. With the advent of TV and computer technology, fielding skills have also changed. Run-outs have changed from taking the ball behind the stumps to taking it in front as that saves a frame on the replay.

The game has become more cat-and-mouse than ever before. New ultra-lightweight pads are used to increase batsman's running speeds between the wickets and baseball coaches have also been called in to improve throwing technique-the latter is certainly used by some sides but now all teams should be insisting on them to improve the fielding. During my coaching career I used the saying, "One run can make the difference." New techniques have to be researched and if proven good have to be taken on board to make the difference.

Indeed, it is interesting to observe how the Australians pressurise the batsman by fielding closer-certainly using a player who is extremely quick and adept at diving at extra-cover. This cuts down the angle, making a great extra-cover drive into a dot ball, which in turn makes the batter play differently.

The team that takes these new techniques on board and has the batting and bowling force to go with them will go forward at the World Cup. Inevitably, Lady Luck will have its part as will the odd umpiring decision, but that is and always has been the game.

I love the saying, "Brains in the fridge, bodies in the oven." I mean that cool heads under pressure with super-fit players running and diving make the difference. I wonder which team will have its brains in the fridge and its bodies in the oven during the next World Cup. Indeed, which team will have done its homework the best?

(Former South African coach Bob Woolmer, now with county side Warwickshire, is one of the foremost tacticians in modern cricket.)