MSN Cricket World Cup Blog

 

 

The World Cup final is cricket's showpiece event. It only happens once every four years and guarantees the game the global attention that it often sorely needs. You'd think it would be inconceivable that an event of this magnitude could be reduced to a farce by the tournament organisers and the ICC yet that is what happened at the Kensington Oval. Sadly, these final moments of this damp squib of a tournament are likely to be remembered rather than the performance of Adam Gilchrist, the wicketkeeper/batsman who produced one the greatest, most destructive one day innings of all time to ensure Australia claimed a third successive World Cup victory.

 

The problems started with early morning rain which reduced the game to 38 overs a side. With a reserve day set aside as a contingency plan, it simply boggles the mind why, for a game of this importance, officials didn't decide to let the game remain 50 overs a side and run over into the following day. Thus, three hours after winning the toss, Aussie openers Gilchrist and Hayden took the field. Hayden finished the tournament as leading run scorer but he could not find any form in the opening overs as Lasith Malinga's slingers subdued his attacking instincts. Fortunately for the Aussies, Gilchrist, who has struggled for fluency throughout the World Cup, was determined to bludgeon his way back into form.

 

In an innings reminiscent of the 58-ball hundred that broke England's hearts in the third Ashes test, Gilchrist launched into Chaminda Vaas and Dilhara Fernando. His innings of 149 from 104 was the highest score in a World Cup final and contained 8 sixes and 13 fours. He and Hayden put on 172 for the first wicket - and Hayden only scored 38! Gilchrist eventually departed with the score at 224 and it was left to Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds to drive the score up to a fomidable 281.

 

Despite the early loss of Upal Thuranga, Sri Lanka's run chase remained on target through the first 20 overs of their reply. Sanath Jayasuria and Kumar Sangakkara put on 116 for the second wicket and built a platform for their middle order batsmen. But yet again, with the contest in the balance, another Aussie stepped forward to wrest back control of the game. Left-arm spinner Brad Hogg induced Sangakkara to drill a pull shot straight to Ponting. It was a crucial wicket. Two overs later, Jayasuria attemtped an ugly looking swipe at part-time bowler Michael Clarke and was bowled. Sri Lanka's momentum was gone and the Aussies knew it.

 

Then rain started to fall again. When play resumed, Sri Lanka's target was revised to 269 from 36 overs. With the light fading, they now required 11 runs per over. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene was dismissed immediately after the resumption killing off any hopes of a comeback. Glenn McGrath, playing his last ever international match, applied the coup de grace by dismissing Russell Arnold. The truculent paceman, with 26 World Cup wickets to his name, would later be named player of the tournament.

 

With 33 overs gone, the Sri Lankan batsmen accepted the offer of bad light, effectively ending the match. The Aussies celebrated and made their way off the field only to be told that the umpires had made a mistake and that the remaining three overs still had to be bowled. This was a major gaffe - when both sides have batted for 20 overs in a match enough play has been completed to constitute a game. In almost total darkness, the players returned and played out the remaining 18 balls. It was pointless. Sri Lanka had no chance of winning, the fielders couldn't see the ball and the people running the game had once again ensured that their showpiece event finished in confusing and embarrassing circumstances.

 

Overall, this farcical finale was probably inkeeping with a wholly unsatisfying tournament. After the murder of Bob Woolmer, many quite rightly wondered if the tournament should continue at all. But the ICC insisted on ploughing on, filling their coffers through TV and advertising cash over 7 gruelling weeks of matches largely played in front of empty stadiums. None of which should take away from Australia's achievement. They are unbeaten in World Cup matches since 1999 and were largely untroubled as they cut a swathe through the competition. They were head and shoulders above every other side and, for the fourth time in their history, are deserved champions of the world.

 

 

 

After 50 matches and 7 weeks, the Cricket World Cup approaches its conclusion as favourites Australia take on Sri Lanka in what many hope will be a memorable finale to an often tortuous tournament that has at times failed to even captivate the world’s cricket-loving fans. But despite the criticism and controversy that has dogged the tournament, the World Cup has also provided some top performances and highlights.

As a result, MSN’s Cricket World Cup bloggers have got into a team-building pre-final huddle and decided on the best and worst things about the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Pace aces flourish
The West Indies is cricket’s traditional cradle of fast bowling excellence and it was fitting to see the return of high class aggressive pace bowling in the form of Shaun Tait, Lasith Malinga and Shane Bond. All three bowlers regularly topped the 90 mph mark in their spells to terrify opposition batsmen. Bond took crucial wickets with the new ball and mid innings and Tait, despite some wayward moments, claimed 23 victims. Best of all was Malinga’s unplayable spell of reverse swing against South Africa where he claimed 4 wickets in 4 balls.

Success of the Associate Nations
The ICC must have cursed their luck as Bangladesh and Ireland dumped India and Pakistan out and the tournament’s advertising revenue took a massive hit. But the emergence of Bangladesh in particular is good news for the game. Disciplined bowling, razor sharp fielding and wristy batting also bought them a deserved Super 8 win over South Africa. With the country's massive population being drawn to the game, Bangladesh is a major cricketing nation in waiting. Assuming they find a good replacement for departing coach Dav Whatmore, expect them to do even better in four years time.

Power hitters on top
While the slow and low pitches of Guyana and Antigua left England’s batsmen (apart from Kevin Pietersen) generally flummoxed, they only had to look to the likes of Matthew Hayden and Sanath Jayasuria for the ideal crash course in how to score heavily. Hayden, who must have thought his ODI career was over when he was left out of Australia’s ICC Champions Trophy squad last October, was back to his bullying brilliant best as he battered 621 runs at a strike rate of 104.29 including 3 hundreds. Jayasuria’s performances had supporters thinking back to 1996 when his explosive opening batting salvos propelled Sri Lanka to World Cup victory. The 37-year old smashed two centuries on his way to 404 runs scored at a strike rate of 99.01.

LEST WE FORGET

The death of Bob Woolmer
The murder of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer following Pakistan’s shock defeat to Ireland cast a huge shadow over the tournament. Many, this correspondent included, felt the tournament should not continue while the investigation was being conducted. Amid rumour and counter-rumour, it took the authorities over a month to identify the true cause of death no doubt causing more distress for Woolmer’s family. One can only hope that the perpetrators of this horrific crime are bought to justice quickly and that the former Warwickshire and South Africa coach eventually receives the appropriate recognition for the life he dedicated to cricket.

No crowds
Remember those classic matches you’ve seen in the Caribbean over the years? You know, the vibrant colour, the drums, the singing, the soundsystems, the sheer carnival of it all. Well, thanks to the ICC’s policy of charging local fans around a week’s wages for a ticket and insisting that anyone wanted to bring a musical instrument into a ground required a permit, the world’s best players played to largely empty sterile grounds devoid of any atmosphere at all.

While the ICC no doubt made more than enough money from TV deals anyway and probably couldn’t care less, the lack of crowds took away the key ingredient of Caribbean cricket. For an idea of how things could have been, think back to the England vs West Indies game. Ticket prices slashed by 75% and a ground packed full of people saying goodbye to the legendary Brian Lara. The result? Arguably the most exciting game of the tournament.

Another terrible format
You’ll never believe it but the first World Cup in 1975 only lasted 15 days. Honestly. Once again, the ICC’s determination to squeeze every last drop of cash out of this tournament meant fans have had to sit through 7 weeks of one-sided, mostly low scoring matches with few of the tense finishes that make one day cricket great. I’m not going to pretend I have the solution to this problem but this is the third consecutive World Cup that has ultimately fallen flat. The organisers must find a shorter format that suits players and fans rather than TV and advertising executives.

 

 

It may have been billed as an epic clash but, yet again, Australia's bowlers ensured spectators were treated to another one-sided World Cup contest. Recent history suggested the Proteas had the batting strength to put Ricky Ponting's side under pressure and when Graeme Smith won the toss and chose to bat, it seemed all the elements for a classic contest were slotting into place.

 

But thirty minutes later the game was all but over as a contest after Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait and the peerless Glenn McGrath had reduced South Africa to 27 for 5. South Africa's decision to bat as aggressively as possible didn't take into account the slowness of the St Lucia pitch and backfired spectacularly. Smith stomped down the wicket to Bracken and was clean bowled. Jacques Kallis followed in the same fashion having advanced down the track to McGrath. Ashwell Prince and Mark Boucher both went for ducks wafting outside off stump. Only Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp offered any resistance as South Africa limped to 149 all out.

 

McGrath's three wickets took his tournament tally to 25, the best in this tournament and the most dismissals in any World Cup. The ageing champion will retire from international cricket on Saturday and he'll be going out on a personal high. But he hasn't done it on his own. Shaun Tait may be as erratic a pace bowler ever used by Australia. But there is no substitute for raw pace. Tait's regular 90 mph salvos have now bought him 23 victims - as many as Muttiah Muralithuran - in the tournament. A word also for Brad Hogg, the spinner who has lived long in the shadow of Shane Warne. The former postman has enjoyed a superb World Cup, regularly deceiving the world's best batsmen with his googly. Yesterday, he only claimed one wicket but his 10 overs conceded just 24 runs as he teased Kemp and the South African tail enders with flight and spin.

 

A target of 150 was never likely to cause Australia too many problems and so it proved. The early loss of Adam Gilchrist didn't faze them and Ponting and Matthew Hayden's partnership kept their run rate comfortably over 5 an over. It was left to Michael Clarke (60 not out) and Andrew Symonds (18 not out) to see them home with embarrassing ease with 20 overs to spare.

 

On this form, the Aussies will be overwhelming favourites when they meet Sri Lanka in Saturday's final. They'll be facing a side with an equally explosive bowling attack and it is almost certain that the likes of Sanath Jayasuria and Kumar Sangakkara will put the likes of McGrath and Tait under more pressure than they've faced in the tournament so far. Let's hope the two sides can provide a competitive finale to a tournament whose overall lack of excitement and atmosphere has numbed even the most ardent cricket fan.

 

 

 

Sri Lanka ruthlessly swept New Zealand's World Cup hopes into the gutter with an efficient, organised and inspired performance at Sabina Park. Their bowling, batting and fielding was superior to that of Stephen Fleming's side and, despite another spellbinding effort from Muttiah Muralithuran, the game will rightly be remembered as a day of supreme triumph for Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene.

 

Jayawardene came to the crease with his side under pressure after Kiwi swing bowler James Franklin had reduced them to 64 for 2. With power hitters Sanath Jayasuria and Kumar Sangakkara already back in the pavillion, another New Zealand breakthrough would have had Sri Lanka reeling. Consequently, Jayawardene began his innings cautiously, happy to play second fiddle to the free flowing Upul Thuranga's 73 from 74 balls. It was only after Daniel Vettori dismissed Thuranga that Jayawardene chose to take control of the match.

 

When Thuranga was dismissed with the score on 107, Jayawardene's strike rate was less than 50 runs per 100 balls. Over the next 20 overs, he bought the crowd to life with his next 98 runs coming from just 60 balls sending the New Zealand bowlers to all parts of the ground. A stunning lofted straight drive and a contemptuous launch over mid wicket were mixed with delicate late cuts and sweetly timed flicks. Ably assisted by Chamara Silva and Tillekaratne Dilshan, Jayawardene finished unbeaten on 115 from 109 balls. Having initially looked like they would score around 240 or 250, the captain had taken the score to a mammoth 289.

 

The return of Lasith Malinga ensured the New Zealand run chase didn't get off to a fast start. The mop-topped slinger, playing his first game in three weeks after injuring his ankle, clicked immediately back in top gear. His first four overs conceded only 5 runs and he accounted for Stephen Fleming in one memorable almost unplayable over trapping the Kiwi skipper LBW with a 94 mph delivery.

 

New Zealand's only glimpse at victory came when Peter Fulton and Scott Styris took to the bowling of Dilhara Fernando during the 2nd and 3rd power plays. The pair put on 73 for the third wicket in quick time to raise the Black Caps' spirits. But, on a day where he could do no wrong, Jayawardene had the last laugh. He bought on part-time spinner Dilshan to bowl and Styris dutifully drilled a catch straight to the Sri Lankan skipper at mid wicket. With the Kiwis wobbling, Murali then delivered the final blow taking 4 for 31 in a mesmerising 8 over spell. He reduced New Zealand from 105 for 3 to 149 for 9. Despite a fiery last wicket stand between Franklin and Jeetan Patel, the game was up. New Zealand were all out for 208 and had lost their fifth World Cup semi final. Kiwi captain Fleming resigned as one day captain immediately after the game.

 

Without doubt Sri Lanka's performances throughout the tournament justify their place in the final. They await the winners of the Australia vs South Africa clash in St Lucia and, on this form, have every chance of being crowned world champions for a second time.

 

 

 

A meaningless game in terms of the World Cup gained took on wider significance following Duncan Fletcher's resignation and the fact that it was to be Brian Lara's final international match. With ticket prices finally slashed, the Kensington Oval was packed to the rafters and ablaze with the music, colour and unique Caribbean cricketing atmosphere sadly absent for the majority of the tournament. And the game itself delivered the goods with 600 runs scored, incendiary batting from Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen and a dramatic last over victory for Michael Vaughan's men.

 

England made some progressive team changes including promoting Ravi Bopara to bat at No 3 but their bowling was littered with the same predictable problems. James Anderson and Liam Plunkett sent down a seemingly endless stream of wides and long-hops that allowed Gayle, who hitherto had endured an awful tournament, to blast his way to 79 off 58 balls.

 

Gayle's dismissal bought Lara to the crease and the Barbados crowd to its feet in a fitting tribute. But there was no last game heroics from the master batsman as he was run out for 18 by Kevin Pietersen. Cue another standing ovation as he left the crease for the final time. With England's pace bowlers resembling cannon fodder, it was left to Vaughan and Paul Collingwood to stem the flow of runs. Taking the pace off the ball seemed to do the trick as the Windies could only muster 50 runs from their final ten overs, finishing on a still-impressive 300 all out.

 

England's reply featured a sight not seen on a cricket field for some time - Michael Vaughan in full flow. With his trademark cover drives and pulls, it was almost like 2003 again as the captain raced to 79 off 68 balls. Windies all rounder Dwayne Bravo wrested things back in the host's favour by running out Bopara and Vaughan with direct hits. And when Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff and Jamie Dalrymple fell cheaply, it looked like Lara would enjoy a winning farewell.

 

But that reckoned without Kevin Pietersen. England's best batsman once again illustrated his incredible talent as he took the Windies bowlers apart. He launched 10 fours to all parts of the ground and ensured England kept up with the required 8 runs per over before reaching his second century of the World Cup with an enormous six over mid wicket. But KP couldn't see England home. He was bowled by Jerome Taylor aiming for another huge shot with 32 runs still needed and only four overs remaining.

 

Then Paul Nixon took the initiative. The gritty wicketkeeper has been one of England's few brightspots and once again his love of a scrap paid off. He launched a salvo of 3 fours in 4 balls and suddenly the game was England's to lose with only 5 needed from the last over. They still almost messed it up though. Nixon was bowled by a Dwaye Bravo slower ball and it was left to 20 year old bowler Stuart Broad to win the game. Still needing 2 off the final 2 balls, he launched a drive over the in-field and England had scrambled home by 1 wicket in what was the World Cup's most thrilling game to date.

 

Lara then made an emotional farewell speech and embarked on a lap of honour where he attempting to shake hands with almost everyone left in the ground. The game had been an entertaining, pulsating affair with some immense batting performances - a true testimony to the genius of Lara as he walked off an international cricket field for the final time.

 

 

 

Yet another destructive Matthew Hayden century, his third of the tournament, set up an utterly one-sided Australian victory. New Zealand have been considered possible challanegers to the awesome Aussies but, on this evidence, Ricky Ponting's ruthless and dominant side look head and shoulders above their semi final rivals.

 

New Zealand lost their best bowler Shane Bond to a gastric problem just hours before the game started but it's hard to see how the paceman could have affected the outcome of this game. Their bowlers simply crumbled in the face of Hayden's clumping straight drives and Ponting's cultured strokeplay. The pair added a run-a-ball 137 for the second wicket and laid perfect foundations for the inevitable acceleration in the innings' final overs. That increase in run rate came courtesy of all-rounder Shane Watson who bludgeoned an unbeaten 65 from just 32 balls.

 

Chasing a total of 348, the Kiwis needed a fast start but it wasn't to be. Opener Peter Fulton cracked an impressive 50 but his teammates offered precious little resistance against the Australian bowlers. Glenn McGrath removed Ross Taylor with his first ball and claimed the important wicket of Scott Styris. Erratic paceman Shaun Tait accounted for Stephen Fleming and the dangerous Craig McMillan. Wrist spinner Brad Hogg then claimed four wickets to wrap things up within 26 overs. New Zealand were all out for 133 and were left the contemplate their biggest ever ODI defeat as the Aussie juggernault gathered even more momentum.