From rock bottom, Australia could be on top of world Shaun Marsh during his innings of 71. As Australia coasted to another series win over England - a third consecutive one counting its one-day success over the old enemy last year - it was worth casting the mind forward. Three-hundred and ninety days forward to be precise. It is that long until the two countries are scheduled to confront each other in their opening match of the 2015 World Cup, at the MCG. But it may as well be tomorrow for Australia. With the Ashes done and dusted the next major priority for the Australian team and the power players at Cricket Australia is the World Cup. That is not to disparage next month's Test series against world No. 1 South Africa but in the corridors of CA's Melbourne headquarters all signs point to the quadrennial one-day cricket extravaganza. It is no coincidence that the contracts of chief executive James Sutherland and the man who oversees Australian sides - general manager of team performance Pat Howard - are geared around the World Cup, expiring afterwards. Australia, the way it is travelling, might just go in as favourite, staggering considering where it was last June. It could not win a game at the Champions Trophy, finished bottom of its group and was mired in controversy when David Warner ran into trouble in the Birmingham Walkabout. Australia, remarkably, could be ranked No. 1 in the 50-over format by Wednesday, although it needs India to lose the second match of its series in New Zealand for that to occur after dropping the opener to the Black Caps in Napier on Sunday. Australia would stay on top if India loses that series. With that achievement would also come another payday for players on the back of their Ashes-winning bonus from CA. Players' pay structure now includes juicy cash incentives and the team stands to receive about $270,000 to split between them if they're at the top of the ODI pecking order by April, when ranking bonuses are dished out. It would also be recognition of a successful stretch that in many ways can be credited as central to Australia's Ashes triumph. Michael Clarke has admitted that their ability to rediscover a winning feeling in their one-day series in England - after a 3-0 Test series defeat - and almost pinch victory subsequently in India filled the Test side with much-needed confidence. Exhibit A, of course, was Mitchell Johnson, who shook up England in the ODIs last September, then brought them to their knees this summer. It's a tribute to how the one-day set-up is humming at present that, looking at the World Cup, you can almost pick the 15-man squad right now, not allowing for injuries of course. The openers - Warner and Aaron Finch - are just about sorted, and so are the all-rounders - Shane Watson, James Faulkner and Glenn Maxwell. Then there's the other key batsmen, Clarke and George Bailey, the keeper Brad Haddin, the spinner Xavier Doherty and quicks Johnson, Clint Mckay and James Pattinson. That leaves three places, one for a paceman - Nathan Coulter-Nile or Mitchell Starc perhaps - and two other batsmen, spots likely to be contested by Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Adam Voges and Phil Hughes. Australia was able to conquer England with only 11 players in the Test series this summer but Darren Lehmann, highlighting the importance of a "squad mentality," is already piecing together his World Cup squad with a broader vision and a desire for balance and flexibility. "The bottom line is 11 players won't win you a World Cup," the coach wrote recently.