It was nice while it lasted. For a couple of short weeks, one day internationals were exciting again.  The World Cup had us interested, India was rapt, Ireland was thrilled, England was…not as surprised as they would have liked to have been.   Then came Australia’s ongoing tour of Bangladesh, and all that hard work has been undone.

Australia were always favourites, heavy favourites, and therein lies part of the problem.

Yes, Michael Clarke scored a century in his first match as permanent captain and, yes, Shane Watson broke the world record for the number of sixes in an innings in his 185 not out.

But Cricinfo’s text commentary said it all – in response to yet another six, the commentary began with “Yawn”.   Ultimately, as impressive a performance as it was by Clarke, Watson and friends, much of it was down to poor bowling from Bangladesh, who seemed to be on a damage limitation exercise the minute the series began.

To put this slaughter into context, consider that Australia scored their 232/1 in just 26 overs.  In that stage in their innings, Bangladesh had not even reached 100.  There is actually another match to come in the series, but it might as well be cancelled, it now being little more than just a statistic.

Yet, Bangladesh have the players to offer Australia a proper challenge – Tamim Iqbal was named as one of Wisden’s Five (Minus 1) Cricketers of the Year for 2011, Shakib-al-Hasan can’t have been far behind in the reckoning, Mahmadulla is a useful spin bowling all-rounder and Mushfiqur Rahim is a good wicket-keeper/batsman.

For now at least, the problem is often one of timidity, an inferiority complex that forces them to show far too much respect to an Australian side that, whilst talented, is a shadow of it’s former self.

The Indian team was beset with this same problem through much of it’s formative days in international  cricket, and worked tirelessly to rid itself of the trait over the last twenty years until, finally, it has become a brash, bold, aggressive combatant on the field of play.  Bangladesh must go through the same process and, once they do, eventually they can become a power on the world cricket stage.  They certainly have the raw resources, a population of more than 160 million people, to work with.

The major nations in world cricket place so much importance on games against each other, at the expense of matches against the others, for precisely the reason highlighted here.  The lack of contest makes for a bigger turnoff than anything else, and this is the problem that the ICC must address if it is to rid international cricket of it’s ills.  Forget worrying about which format is best for the World Cup, or who should play how many games in order to satisfy the broadcasters.   If the cricket is good, people will want to watch it.

When a team play a series as if they have already decided it is lost, as Bangladesh have done against Australia, people will be reaching for the remote control no matter how many sixes Shane Watson helps himself to.

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As the sun sets on the 2011 World Cup, after a fitting and deserved win for India, the analysis can begin in earnest.   Who has gone backwards and who has moved forwards?  Which stars damaged their reputations, and who made a name for themselves?

Aside from the obvious, those recognised by the ICC in their tournament XI, here are some other names in our game of Good Cup, Bad Cup:

Good Cup

New Zealand’s run to the semi-final was yet another strong performance from a nation that consistently performs above it’s reputation in major tournaments.  Aside from Ross Taylor’s fireworks against Pakistan, Tim Southee was perhaps the stand out performer, finishing with 18 wickets and an IPL contract into the bargain.

West Indies might still be one of the lesser of the top-ranked nations, but Kemar Roach showed why he is so highly regarded.  His 6/27 against the Netherlands was the best in the tournament.  Should grow into an outstanding spearhead in the future.

Imran Tahir has waited a long time to play for South Africa, after a false start because of confusion over the qualification requirements, but he finally made his debut for the Proteas and returned a promising 14 wickets from his 5 matches.  Bad news, conversely, for Paul Harris, who will surely lose his test place to the Pakistan-born leg-spinner in due course.

Our umpires are under added scrutiny since the introduction of the UDRS, but Simon Taufel showed why he is the world’s best with a near-flawless performance throughout.  One decision, an LBW given against MS Dhoni and upheld under review in the semi-final, drew universal plaudits.

The minnows were mostly on a hiding to less than nothing, but Ireland pulled off perhaps the greatest run-chase in history when they scored a mammoth 329/7 to win against England.  Kevin O’Brien smashed the fastest ever World Cup century and opened the way to a possible IPL or county contract.

Bad Cup

England, World T20 Champions and recent winners of the Ashes in Australia, hoped to continue their upward trend under Andy Flower.  It didn’t happen.  Injuries, exhaustion and confusion over their lineup resulted in defeats to Ireland and Bangladesh followed by a comprehensive loss to Sri Lanka in the quarter final.

Perhaps the greatest victim of England’s confusion was Matt Prior.  Promoted to open despite previous evidence that it does not suit his game, he was shunted back down the order when the move didn’t come off.  May now lose his place to either Steve Davies or Craig Kieswetter as Flower looks to rebuild the 50 over side.

The Associate Nations view the World Cup as essential to their development.  And some of them, particularly the Irish, are getting there.  Which makes the ICC decision to exclude them from the 2015 World Cup all the more difficult to swallow.  Whilst the others mostly got tonked, the Netherlands gave England (that friend of minnows everywhere) a tough time.  Of course, the ICC don’t really give a damn about the associates, despite what they might say about expanding the game’s global appeal.  If they don’t have a Premier League or a legend named Sachin, and a billion slavering revenue streams, they’re just not important enough.  That said, if ever the Chinese start taking to cricket, watch the ICC board members collectively step over their own mothers to reach the new market…

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The 2011 World Cup has been a vast improvement over the 2007 version, although to be honest that’s probably not saying much.  It was too long and the group stages weren’t great, but there were some great moments interspersed within all of the minnow-thrashings that we can treasure for a long time.

So, in no particular order, here are my favourite moments:

1. Kevin O’Brien brutalises England

England were expected to win comfortably against Ireland.  After a score of 327/8 and with Ireland 111/5 in reply, it was all over.  Step forward Kevin O’Brien to smash the most brutal century in World Cup history, reaching his 100 from just 50 balls.  Anderson, Bresnan and Swann were laid utterly to waste, and England lost by three wickets in one of the great World Cup upsets.

The aftermath lead to the possibility of O’Brien earning himself an IPL contract and a place with a county side.  Unbelievable stuff.

2. Murali’s last ball in Sri Lanka

If there was a fairytale ending that most of the world wanted, it was Sachin’s 100th hundred in the final in Mumbai.  Lasith Malinga put paid to that, but we did get one fairytale goodbye.  As Muttiah Muralitharan ran in to bowl his final ball on Sri Lankan soil in the semi-final against New Zealand, Scott Styris awaited well placed on 57.

The ball pitched outside off, Styris went back and tried to work the ball into the leg-side but missed, and was given out LBW.

Goodbye Murali, and thanks for the memories.

3. India and England tie

India were expected to win this match in Group B, and a Sachin Tendulkar century helped the home side to a strong total of 338.  But, they had not counted on England’s explosive (!) captain Andrew Strauss, who lead from the front with a brilliant 158 from only 145 balls.

When Ian Bell (69) and then Strauss both fell from consecutive Zaheer Khan deliveries with the score on 281, the match swung back to India.  281/3 had become 307/7.  Still England weren’t done with Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann and Ajmal Shahzad all striking sixes to bring the scores level.

4. Jayawardene scores a century

The final-hype was all about Sachin scoring a century, but Mahela Jayawardene is always a man for the big occassion and this was no different.  After Sri Lanka’s slow start in the face of a superb opening spell by Zaheer Khan, Jayawardene came in with the score on 60/2.

He was immediately into his stride, rotating the strike and getting the scoreboard going.  With 5 overs to go, the power play represented Sri Lanka’s last chance to post a competitive total.  Jayawardene, with help from Kulasekera and Perera, took full toll, completing his century from just 84 balls.

But would it be enough?

5. MS Dhoni hits a six

The game was won.  India was already celebrating.  Four runs were required from 11 balls.  Nuwan Kulasekara ran in to bowl.  The ball was full.  Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Indian captain, picked up the line and length and smashed it straight over long on.

A six to win the World Cup for India in India.  What better way to sign off than that?

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India.  Pakistan.  The World Cup semi-final.

Sachin teased us with the possibility of a 100th hundred before dashing a nation’s hopes until at least Saturday.  Sehwag teased us with the possibility of a 100 hundreds during the batting power play before getting out.

Wahab Riaz, who might have been man of the match, kept things interesting with 5 wickets to reel India in after Sehwag’s lightning start.  Boom Boom fizzled out, the Akmals flattered to deceive.  Murali watched, and waited.

Meanwhile, Misbah-ul-Haq was busy devoting his innings to sending Bob Willis an impassioned message of solidarity with Jonathan Trott.

Ball after ball was defended, mis-nurdled and bunted to waiting fielders as the required run-rate climbed eagerly upwards.  Misbah was an ocean of comatose calm amidst a sea of anxiety and rising discontent.

Twitter, Test Match Sofa and Nick Knight were all united in their condemnation and sartorial abuse of Misbah as he carried on in his serene, untroubled manner.

The F word briefly reared it’s head before getting bored and sloping off to arrange some no-balls.

But Misbah didn’t care. On he went, like a freight train with too many wagons.

There is certainly still an important place in fifty over cricket for innings building, but this was taking the concept to an unhealthy new level.  All teams need to have an accumulator in their lineup, someone who takes the singles, rotates the strike and builds a platform for the late assault.

Yet this is not what Misbah did.  He batted as though he was playing a test match, trying to prevent defeat in the final session of the 5th day, maintaining a strike-rate of about 30 throughout much of his innings.  For a couple of hours, Misbah was Paul Collingwood, playing a flinty, match-saving innings against Australia at Cardiff.

Younis Khan had earlier tried to do the same but had fallen just when he looked too likely to emulate the great Durham nurdler.

Eventually Misbah did accelerate.  A bit.  He even managed to find the boundary but, once the 9th wicket had fallen, chose to try and protect last man Saeed Ajmal from the strike by refusing runs.  It was a bizarre spectacle, one ill-befitting the performances Pakistan have brought to this tournament.

So whilst Sachin (along with 10 other Indians) travels to a date with destiny in Mumbai, Misbah returns to Pakistan to face the fury of a dissatisfied senate.

Where limited over cricket is concerned, haste does not necessarily make waste.

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Whilst all England was watching Jonathan Trott treat the Only Bangladesh bowlers like a bored teenager might treat a dying frog, India were treating Only Zimbabwe like a caring, sensitive animal lover would.

They found the poor, wounded creature at the side of the road, lovingly picked it up, nestled it into a box filled with straw, gave it some oatmeal to nibble and a plentiful supply of water.

Having decided to send some of their less experienced, slightly more energetic players to the triangular series, they have now lost the 1st match by six wickets.

Actually, Zimbabwe could well have played with vim and vitality, but that’s much less interesting.

At the World Twenty20, India were exposed as off the pace, disinterested (apart from when they were brawling in bars), fat and unfit.

Obviously all of this is Lalit Modi’s fault for throwing daily parties for six weeks and dragging the players to them at gunpoint.

Or it could be Lalit’s fault for scheduling the IPL immediately before the World Twenty20, causing burnout amongst the Indian players, who obviously exerted themselves far more than players from other nations.

Or it could be Lalit’s fault because he created so much hype about the Indian Premier League being the greatest cricket competition the world has ever known.  Players were forced to submit to this subversive thinking through regular indoctrination sessions where they were forced to watch flashing images of cheerleaders, Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Ravi Shastri.

Or it could be Lalit’s fault because he sold his soul to the devil and fixed the entire IPL whilst trousering the cash.  The emotional and moral maelstrom has sent Indian cricketers into an introverted state leading to de-motivation and poor performance.

Or it could be Lalit’s fault because the BCCI have had to bring in the senior players to help read through his 15,000 page reply to the show-cause notice.  This is the real reason why a weakened squad has been sent.

Or it could be Lalit’s fault because he introduced Sachin to Twitter and nobody has seen the Little Master since.

Whatever the reason, I’m pretty sure the BCCI will find some way to pin the blame on Modi.  It won’t be because the players are lazy and arrogant and don’t put enough effort into training, it won’t be because they aren’t quite the world beaters we are told they are, and it certainly won’t be because the BCCI have been so fixated on money themselves that they have forgotten about that irritating sideline known to you and I as “cricket”.

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If Twenty20 is too sedate for you, try the upcoming Hong Kong Sixes. A Six-a-side, 5 over tournament played over two days at the Kowloon Cricket Club on the 31st October/1st November.

The England squad has been selected:

1. Chris Read (c)
2. Darren Stevens
3. Graham Napier
4. Graham Wagg
5. Jamie Dalrymple
6. Peter Trego
7. Rory Hamilton-Brown

England play matches against Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, with further matches on the first day dependent on their group position.

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Having taken an enforced week off, I was fully expecting to see England efficiently eliminated from the Champions Trophy with a minimum of fuss.  Instead, I find that they have beaten the two strongest teams in their group.  Not only that, but their middle order has been scoring runs.  James Anderson has been taking wickets.  Now that I’ve established that I am not dreaming (and consequently my arm hurts) I find myself wondering: How did this miraculous turnaround occur?

Having seen some photos from these matches, the answer is clear – England’s kit.  They have dumped the red kit that performed so poorly against Australia, and returned to the comforting dark blue that they had been using previously.  Was the aggresive red causing England’s batsmen to play too many rash shots?  Or was it causing opposition bowlers’ blood to boil?  Who knows.

The calm and neutral blue is much more suited to the England team.  It’s not very exciting, but it does the job in an understated sort of way.  Very reassuring.

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Many think that England have already lost the plot after their Ashes victory.  They are mistaken.  Preparations are already underway for the next Ashes series in Australia in 2010/11, and early plans are currently being executed with great success.

By allowing Australia to win this ODI series 7-0 and thus gain revenge for their Ashes defeat straight away, Andrew Strauss and his men are making their task down-under that much simpler.  Think how complacent the Aussies will be by then.

Wishful thinking?  Discuss…

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John Bracewell, the Gloucestershire coach and one-day guru, has made an interesting point regarding England’s ODI batting woes.  He suggests that Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah are playing for their own places rather than the team.  Consider this in the light of selection policy, however, and it is the selectors who are at fault for fostering this environment.

When you analyse their individual skills they’re a pretty good team. But I don’t think they play to a selfless pattern. I think they play to a reselection pattern. ‘If I do all right today I’ll get picked tomorrow’. [Source]

This could quite easily be seen as a reaction to the constant chopping and changing of the team.  Contrast this with the Test side when Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower took over – too cosy, players were complacent regarding their place in the team.

It’s odd that England have gone to two extremes in the different formats of the game.  So what is the ideal level of selection consistency?  Players need to know that if they do not perform somebody else will be given a chance.  On the other hand, they need to be secure in the knowledge they will be given more than just one or two bad performances before that happens.

It is this that can lead to the scenario highlighted by Bracewell – players feeling that they have to produce a score every time they walk to the crease.  There is a big difference between wanting to produce a score everytime and feeling that you have to do it to keep your place.  This is where England have been getting it wrong in limited over cricket – it is the fault of the selectors rather than of the likes of Shah or Bopara.

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Aside from the 3-0 scoreline, there are signs that the England team just aren’t that into this ODI series.  First Stuart Broad and now Paul Collingwood and James Anderson are being rested from the team.

Broad was sent off to do some promotional work, Anderson needs a rest after taking his first wicket since July and Collingwood just…well, you know.

Then again, Australia are at it as well.  Ricky Ponting has only just come back, and now Tim Nielsen, the coach, is off to Australia half-way through.

And I can’t say I blame them.  It’s hard enough blogging about this series, so imagine what it must be like playing in it…

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