Australia's crack Speedway World Cup squad

Australia will begin its 2009 Speedway World Cup (SWC) campaign at Peterborough (UK) on July 13 with a crack line-up anchored by the heady talents of Jason Crump and Leigh Adams.

Hitherto, Crump has been a powerhouse in 2009, and is dominating the world championship after five of 11 rounds. His latest effort was a majestic undefeated run through the British GP.

Meanwhile, it's been a hapless year for Adams in the world championship, but he rarely fails to deliver in the cauldron of the SWC arena. Adams will again captain Australia in 2009.

Rory Schlein, former GP winner Ryan Sullivan and Chris Holder will complete the Aussie roster at Peterborough.

Holder recently progressed to the final of the 2010 GP qualification final at Coventry on September 15, where he will be one of 16 riders fighting for three permanent spots in next year's world championship.

Schlein just missed out on progressing with Holder at that same meeting, while another Australian, Davey Watt, got through in the other semi-final. Watt competed for Australia in the 2008 SWC.

Australia will come up against Great Britain, Poland and Slovenia at Peterborough, while the other qualifying round will feature Russia, Denmark, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

If Australia wins at Peterborough, it will progress straight to the final in Poland. If it finishes second or third, it will be forced into a race-off, and if it finishes last it will be eliminated straight off.

However, that's an unlikely scenario, and something which is yet to occur in eight years of SWC action.

Currently, Australia, Poland, Sweden and Denmark are deadlocked on two SWC wins apiece.

Denmark just pipped Poland to win last year's event, with Sweden in third.

Denmark has again assembled a strong team in 2009, and includes reigning world champion Nicki Pedersen.

The SWC runs under a unique set of rules, mostly aimed at keeping things tight until the very end and avoiding an air of inevitability.

The most contentious rule is when a team falls 6pts behind the leader it's allowed to make tactical substitutions, replacing a rider who is out of form with one who is red hot.

The substitute is called a "Joker", and that rider scored double points. Eg a normal win is worth 3pts, but if the Joker wins that becomes 6pts.

An SWC meeting lasts for 25 heats.