By Andy Schooler, in Manchester

England and Scotland are ready to join forces to end Australian dominance at the forthcoming World Championships.

That was the message from their camps after the two countries were forced to play second fiddle to the Aussies at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Australia took eight of the 11 golds on offer on the track of the National Cycling Centre, but after the action ended on Friday night, the Home Nations remained confident of a bright future under the combined flag of Great Britain.

Jamie Staff, a member of England's team sprint silver-winning trio which was edged out by the Australians in Friday's final, said the squad as a whole had "done well" but added there was "definitely room for improvement".

He told sportinglife.com: "The Aussies have really, really done well. They are a very strong team but I believe the Great Britain team has a lot to come.

"At the World Championships I definitely think we'll be a really serious threat to the Aussies."

Team newcomer Staff, who also picked up bronze in the men's 1km time-trial in Manchester, added: "We're capable of producing a gold medal in the team sprint.

"In the kilo (1km) I defintiely think we could get one there as well, and in the (individual) sprint hopefully a couple of medals."

The comments were echoed by team-mate Jason Queally, the Olympic 1km time trial champion who picked up two silvers in Manchester.

He said: "We've shown we've got great strength in depth. I've got high expectations for the World Championships. I really believe we can beat the Aussies and beat the French."

Track cycling has been given a showcase here in Manchester over the past week, but it is unlikely to have the same exposure until the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

At the last Olympics, Britain's cyclists hit the headlines with Queally striking gold.

But he admtted being "disappointed" not to match that feat here as the only gold for the Home Nations came via Scotland's Chris Hoy in the 1km time trial.

Both Queally and Staff, a former BMX world champion who still concentrates on that side of the sport, have already targeted success at the 2004 Games.

But for now their attention is turning to those World Championships which take place in Denmark in September.

Staff, however, will still race in his BMX competitions in the US for the next month or so.

"I'll still be concentrating 100 per cent on BMX before the World Championships on thhe track," he said.

"The only track training I'll do is for the kilo. The sprinting transfers over pretty easily."

British fans will certainly be hoping so.