LONDON, June 5: England were conspicuous by their absence as the World Cup carnival moved into top gear Friday when Australia took centerstage with their 77-run win over India to launch the Super Six league, reports AP.

The return of the World Cup to the "home of cricket" was expected to mark a new era for cricket in England, which introduced the game around the Commonwealth countries.

But cricket from the former British empire have hit back, leaving the game's founder a mere spectator at its own festival of the limited-covers game, which. ttfe traditionalists term 'the pajama'game'. - -•

Countries which learnt the

rudiments of cricket from English colonialists have demonstrated their prowess, while spectators from all over the world visiting England are propounding different theories for their rise as a cricketing power. -1

But^surprisingly. most have similar viefys bn-England^ d£-clinfe. *

South African Mike Meikle~ Braes, a marketing executive from Johannesburg said: "England is no longer the lord of the cricketing arena ... South Africa is."

Watching Australia lake their first two points in the Super Six, Meikle-Braes said he had come to watch South Africa lift the World Cup.

'The World Cup is ours, take

that down." said Meikle-Braes. who is following Hansie Cron-Ie’s South African side in England. "The countries which adapted cricket from England have overtaken it, haven't they?"

Mark Branscombe. a Londoner said this reminded him of England having taught soccer to the world and later being left way behind.

"I never imagined England's plight at cricket would be that bad and so soon," said Branscombe, who said he was 'a house husband' and had got a day off for cricket with his wife's permission.

"I feel sick to think that English cricket's gone the soccer way... but this hurts more as I'm a cricket guy," he said.

Telecommunication salesman Robert Cornley. also from London, said English cricket officials seemed to hope that its past World Cup record would carry it to forward.

"Alas they were mistaken," said Cornley. adding that the World Cup was not the same for him after England were eliminated.

"Yes, you feel as if English cricketers now need to learn a lot frbm these countries," he said. "See how South Africa and Pakistan have done in the World Cup."

"But then, cricket is no longer a passion in England." he added. "Imagine Zimbabwe with a handful of circketers getting ahead of us."

Mark Allen, a Chinese-Australian who learnt the game at school in Hong Kong before his parents moved to Melbourne, said England may not fit into the top cricket-playing nations for a long time after this World puP- ,

"England Were a bit-unlucky. but you can't leave these things to luck," he said. "Look. (England) got a hiding from South Africa and India ... and India did not appear any good against the professional Aussies."

"If you want to watch cricket, come to Australia ... that's wherq the real cricket is played." ’ a

Another Australian Harold Wood, from Sydney, said England's decline started several decades ago.

"England depends too much of migratory birds." he said, referring to the best players in the English country cricket being overseas professionals.

'Who's worried about England's decline, not me," said South African Brad Harris, presently working in London as a computer progammer. "I just want (Hansie) Cronje and the boys to make this South African sport s biggest moment ... even bigger than the rugby World Cup.

'The rugby World Cup was different as we won it at home with all the backing of the crowd. This will be different ... simply out of this world." 1