Pat Cash, the cult hero of two Australian Davis Cup triumps, yesterday delivered sobering warning to both France and Australia ahead of this week's knife-edge final in Nice.

The 1987 Wimbledon champion predicated US Open finalist Mark Philippoussis was poised to explode 'like a freight train' into Fench plans of lifting the centenary cup.

But the feisty Victorian said John Newcombe's team should be wary of France.

Dismissing concerns Philippoussis had weakend Australia's chances of securing it's 27th victory overall by delaying his arrival for practice on the Riveria until Friday, Cash said the strapping right-hander was bursting with confidence.

"Mark is like a freight train and they (the French) won't be able to stop him," said London-based Cash, who was pivotal to Australian wins over Sweden in 1983 and 1986.

"Only (Cedric) Pioline is good enough to go with him for a while, but I don't know whether even Pioline can stick with him for the whole match."
"Whoever plays No. 2 (Sebastien Grosjean) for France won't be able to stop him once he gets going."

While optimistic Australian can post its first win in 13 years, Cash said the ability of Philippoussis and teenager Lleyton Hewitt to handle what is certain to be raucous French crowd would be crucial.

"That crowd is going to be going absolutely nuts and it's going to be very, very draining for both of our guys from the very first point." He said.

"But, in a way, Mark and Lleyton will be better playint away from home. There will be less expectation than if they were playing at home and there will probably be fewer nerves."

The former world No. 4 said Australia had
superior players - technically and mentally- to those of France, but conceded the final was touch and go. "It's the same old story with tennis on the big occasion, it all comes down to the day," Cash said.

"Whoever has the best day on the day will win. On paper, we're the favourites, but paper doesn't win you matches. "What we have to do to make sure of winning is to beat their No. 2 player twice. If you do that, you can put a lot of pressure on their doubles team (Olivier Delaitre and Fabrice Santoro) and then you get stuck ingo Pioline."

"With a bit of luck, Lleyton can beat Pioline again. He's done it twice this year and he can do it again provided he settles down Ok."

Cash's effort to catapult Australia to victories at Kooyong over Sweden established the aggressive serve-volleyer in the pantheon of Australian Cup greats, so much so that former captain Neale Fraser described Cash as the best player to have played under him. His role in the '86 triumph was little short of extraordinary.

Having downed Stefan Edberg in straight sets on the first day then partnering John Fitzgerald to a win in the doubles, Cash ground out a magnificent five-set win over Mikael Pernfors after trailing by two sets to love.

The achievement rates higher in Cash's mind than his march to the Wimbledon title in '87 when he triumphed a succession of greats, including Mats Wilander, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendle to land his only Grand Slam singles title.

"Wimbledon was great, but it was a personal thing" Cash said. "But for team spirit and doing it for Australia, you couldn't beat Davis Cup".