10 things we've learnt from the World Cup so far

The World Cup is now two weeks old, and has recovered from a slightly below-par start to become one of the most talked about editions of the tournament ever. Thus far the competition has had everything from amazing tied matches to shock results for the associate nations, and that’s just England’s story.

But what have we learnt from the great festival of cricket that is the World Cup...

1. England are the most unpredictable team in the world. Granted, most people already knew this, but the performances that Andrew Strauss’ side have put in during their three matches so far have been so different from each other it has to be seen to be believed. After a workmanlike but unremarkable victory over the Netherlands, the tie against India in Bangalore was one of the greatest batting performances by an England one-day side in living memory. However, after being talked up by almost every commentator and pundit in the sub-continent, the defeat at the hands of the Irish has brought Andy Flower and his players back down to Earth with a bump. They still should qualify from the group stages, but I would not back them to go much further after their opening performances.

2. James Anderson is not a world-class one-day bowler. Anderson has struggled in England’s first three matches and is fighting for his place in the team heading into the tomorrow’s match against South Africa. His 28 overs in the tournament have been hit for 212 runs, whilst he has only picked up two wickets. His performances have reflected those of the whole team, and he must aim for much more consistency if he is to resurrect the form that saw him become the leader of the attack in recent years.

Anderson has struggled in the tournament thus far

3. Kevin Pietersen could become an opener. When it was revealed that KP was going to open the batting, many asked whether his game would be suited to taking on the new ball. However, he has shown glimpses of the temperament and intelligence that he would need to continue as an opener in the one-day game.

4. India aren’t as good as everyone thinks. It is without doubt that MS Dhoni’s team have one of the best batting line-ups in the world, but this is only half of what a team needs to win the competition, and currently their bowling and fielding is coming under fire. Zaheer Khan’s burst during England’s batting powerplay has been the only highlight in the field for the hosts thus far, and the likes of Munaf Patel, Sreesanth and Piyush Chawla are not proven international bowlers. If India are to win the competition, their bowlers will have to step up to the mark, as their batsmen cannot be relied on for the whole tournament.

5. The quicker, the better. When teams go to the sub-continent, they tend to pack their bowling attack with spinners. However, it has been the quicker bowlers who have been most impressive in the opening two weeks of the tournament. Kemar Roach and Lasith Malinga have both taken hat-tricks, whilst the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait have fired Australia to two victories wth their full and fast approach. This World Cup could very well surprise a lot of people and be the tournament where the world’s best fast bowlers are the main stars.

6. The good Pakistan have turned up. Whenever an international competition comes around, many people ask which Pakistan are going to turn up, and this year it looks as if they are at their brilliant best. Despite a shaky batting performance against Canada, they have emerged as genuine contenders, and with an inspired Shahid Afridi leading from the front, they could easily find themselves lifting the trophy for the second time.

7. The World Cup needs the associate nations. Ireland’s victory over England has shown to the ICC that the associate nations have a place in world cricket’s premier events. The performance brought about one of the greatest ever World Cup shocks and lit up the tournament, something which those that govern the game cannot ignore if they want to keep people watching future tournaments. Despite weak performances from Kenya and Canada, I for one feel it would be unfair if the likes of Kevin O’Brien and Ryan Ten Doeschate did not get the chance to show off their skills on the world stage.

8. Chris Gayle is cooler than anyone thought. As always, Chris Gayle has been the epitome of cool throughout the tournament. However, he proved just how cool he was as he took time out from dodging rocks on his team bus to tweet to the world. Many would have concentrated on their own safety, but not Gayle. He wanted to let his 39,000 followers what was going on outside the ground. The man is very cool.

9. Not even his teammates like Sreesanth. After India’s first game of the tournament against Bangladesh, opening batsman Virender Sehwag was quoted as saying everyone had played well apart from Sreesanth. It is well known that opposition players and supporters aren’t particularly fond of the young bowler, but Sehwag’s comments shed light on what the Indian dressing room thinks of their outspoken contemporary. It seems that the only person who likes Sreesanth is the man himself.

Sreesanth has never been one to make friends
on the cricket pitch

10. No one knows who is going to win the tournament. Unlike the last few tournaments, it does not seem as if it going to be a non-event of a tournament that ends predictably with Australia holding the trophy aloft. In fact, it would be somewhat of a surprise if Ricky Ponting’s side even made it to the final. Any number of teams could be celebrating victory at the end of the tournament, and I for one would not like to be the person to predict who that will be.... 


This article can be found at worldcricketwatch.com and sportsvoice.co.uk

Is this the end of the road for Paul Collingwood?

Paul Collingwood has long been a staple of England’s cricket team. He holds the record for one-day international appearances in an England shirt, and only last year he captained the Twenty20 side to World Cup glory.

However, after retiring from test cricket at the end of the Ashes, he was left out of the team for the first one-day international against Australia in Melbourne. His recent poor form may mean there is no way back for the man who still holds the record for the best all-round one-day international performance.

Collingwood is no stranger to being on the brink of being discarded by the national team, but every time he has find a way to persuade the selectors to stick with him, mostly by scoring great centuries or picking up a crucial wicket. His fielding has also set the standard for the modern-day England team, with some of his memorable catches his main legacy.

Collingwood had a poor Ashes series to say the least, and his retirement at the end of the Sydney test match only seemed to spare him from being dropped. However, when this form carried on into the two Twenty20 international, the England selectors have found themselves with no option but to leave him out.

Collingwood's poor Ashes series led to his retirement after the
Sydney test

With only six matches left in the series, he may not have the chance to prove his worth ahead of February’s World Cup. England’s middle order looks very strong, with Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan looking as if they will be very difficult to dislodge when it comes down to their batting compared with Collingwood’s, especially on recent form.

However, after defeat in Melbourne, many commentators have said Collingwood’s medium pace may have come in handy, as England’s five frontline bowlers struggled under the floodlights. James Anderson and Stuart Broad should be back for the World Cup though, and this should strengthen the bowling attack, leaving Collingwood even more out in the cold.

It remains to be seen whether Paul Collingwood will be given the chance to represent his country in the forthcoming World Cup, but seeing him on the podium as part of a winning England team would be a great way for him to bow out of international cricket. 

This article can also be found at worldcricketwatch.com

10 things we learnt from the Gabba Test Match

The first test of the 2010 Ashes is over, ending in an entertaining and record-breaking draw. With the second test in Adelaide kicking off on Thursday night, the teams have little time to reflect on their time in Brisbane. But what has been learnt?

1. England have metal: Many questioned whether, despite arguably being the more talented side, England would have the required character to succeed when under pressure. However, led by the superb Alastair Cook, England's top order showed that the team is a different animal to those that have previously been humiliated Down Under. In similar situations, the tourists have usually relied on the likes of Paul Collingwood to dig them out of trouble, but by not needing his services the confidence in the batting order will be sky high.

2. James Anderson can bowl in Australia: By the end of the 2006/07 series, James Anderson was, like every English cricket fan, thoroughly downbeat. However, unlike most English cricket fans, the Lancastrian had even more reason to feel sorry for himself, as he had felt the full force of the Australian batting line-up. With a distinct lack of swing, the man from Burnley put in some very ordinary performances. Four years on, though, and he is a man reborn. He was England's most dangerous bowler and was very unlucky not to pick up more wickets than the two that he did. He is known as 'The Bowling Captain', and has a huge job to do over the remaining four tests.

3. Mike Hussey is back: Before this test match, Mike Hussey was in the last chance saloon. A failure in Brisbane could have ended his test match career. However, despite looking shaky early on, Hussey batted brilliantly to put Australia in a commanding position. He was very unlucky not to make a double century, and has surely now cemented his place in the side for the foreseeable future.

4. Marcus North is walking a tightrope: Many cricket fans already knew North needed a big performance at the Gabba to get the critics off his back. However, he scored just one and again fell victim to Graeme Swann. His only highlight was the wicket of Andrew Strauss in England's second innings, and his ability to bowl occasional off-spin may be the reason why he has been retained for Adelaide, a pitch which usually aids spin bowling.

5. Mitchell Johnson has fallen off the tightrope: Match figures of 0-170. A nineteen-ball duck. A horrendous dropped catch. A even more horrendous moustache. I don't think anything more needs adding.

6. Xavier didn't have the 'X Factor': Xavier Doherty's selection for the opening test was greeted with raised eyebrows, with many commentators asking whether a man with a first-class bowling average of 48 would be able to trouble England's batsmen. The answer to that question was no, he couldn't. In his much anticipated battle with Kevin Pietersen,  England's number four won hands down, whilst his two wickets were not exactly due to world-class bowling; Ian Bell was caught in the deep when hitting out whilst Jimmy Anderson was bowled playing the reverse sweep (I never thought I'd ever write that sentence).

7. Ben Hilfenhaus bowls a mean first over: On the whole, Ben Hilfenhaus did not have a great test match. However, in both innings' his opening over caused no end of problems to the England batsmen, and namely captain Andrew Strauss. In the first innings Strauss was caught in the gully from the third ball of the opening over, whilst the first ball of the second innings saw the England captain survive a huge lbw appeal. If Hilfenhaus can translate this type of form into his other overs, he could become a real threat in the test matches to come.

8. Australian fans are very good as dressing up as empty seats: The final two days of the test match saw very disappointing crowds, especially given the tightness of the match. Whether this is down to ticket prices or a lack of interest is unclear, but whatever the reason the relevant authorities at Cricket Australia will be hoping to see a huge improvement on the attendances from Brisbane.

9. The Barmy Army haven't changed: Despite the 5-0 whitewash of the 2006/07 series, many people remember the series for the brilliant visiting support given by the Barmy Army. Despite reports suggesting less England fans would be travelling Down Under this time round, the Army seemed to be louder than ever in Brisbane. With new songs and old, they are sure to keep us entertained throughout the series.

10. This could be the closest series ever!

England's One Day Side: The Seamers

Now that England's one-day series against Bangladesh has drawn to a close (with England recording a 3-0 victory), the nation's once ridiculed side is now threatening to become a professional outfit.

The omission of key players such as captain Andrew Strauss and premier bowler James Anderson has given opportunities to new candidates to be part of the team at the World Cup in 2011.

However, these new candidates to be on the plane to India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will no doubt cause the selectors no end of problems

The Seamers

England's seam department is easily the most keenly contested, whilst also being one that causes the most debate. The sheer amount of possible seam bowlers means that the selectors will have the most difficult of all their jobs to select the three best.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are believed to be England's first choice, and both would be very unfortunate to miss out on a place in the XI.

Anderson, on his day, is England's best bowler, matching wicket taking deliveries with consistent, economic spells. However, many England fans believe that he only becomes this bowler when the conditions suit, with his ability to swing the ball both ways a massive part of his armory.


It would also be hard for the selectors to overlook Broad's ability in the 50-over format, due to him being, like Anderson, a very economical bowler with both new and old ball, whilst having the ability to take key wickets. His ever-improving lower order batsman also means that the team's batting order can be lengthened more than most other sides.


So with Anderson and Broad almost guaranteed a place in the side, who will fill the position of third seamer?

Three Yorkshiremen are the main contenders for this berth.

Tim Bresnan now has 21 ODI caps and is slowly becoming an England regular in the shorter formats of the game. His form for Yorkshire with both bat and ball alerted the selectors to his talent, and his 4-wickets in the final one-day game in Bangladesh gave a timely reminder of his potential on the international stage.

Ryan Sidebottom is an interesting bowler. Since his return to the international set-up, the fiery haired son of one-test wonder Arnie has seen his form dip. Despite this, he still seems to be selected for crunch matches, most notably the final test of the recent series in South Africa. A further problem with the left-armer is he is prone to injury, illustrated perfectly by his early departure from the tour of Bangladesh.


Completing the trio of white-rose born internationals is Ajmal Shahzad, who is currently on his first senior England tour. His appearance in the final ODI showed some glimpses of what he can do, the dismissal of dangerman Tamim Iqbal with only his third ball was a good example of this.

There are plenty of other bowlers who could challenge for a place in the side. Liam Plunkett is seems to be back in the selector's mindset, Graham Onions has done well in his limited one-day outings, whilst it is yet to be seen how Steven Finn performs on the international stage.

All we do know is that the selectors will face some tough decisions come 2011.