Concluding our tournament reviews, here is an assessment of how the winners did.
The pre-tournament favourites proved triumphant, their batting strength simply proving overwhelming, even when their two star batsmen made a combined 18 runs in the final. Sachin Tendulkar scored more runs than any other Indian by a distance, but this side does not lean on him as previous ones did. India’s bowling and fielding were considerably weaker, but the excellence of Zaheer Khan, aided by Yuvraj Singh’s surprising 15 wickets, prevented this from costing India. They were highly worthy winners.
Star man
Hard to look beyond Tendulkar, but Yuvraj’s performances were so brilliant you have to. He averaged 90 with the bat, with four half-centuries, including a match-winning one against Australia, and a century against Australia. Yuvraj’s bowling was almost as important, and his two-wicket hauls in the last three games, prevented the lack of five bowlers from hindering India.
Disappointment
Yusuf Pathan entered the tournament amid much hype, having just hit a 70-ball 105, with eight sixes, against South Africa. But his power lacked any selectivity in the World Cup. An average of less than 15 before being dropped was the miserable result.
Prospects
Gary Kirsten will be hard to replace as coach, but with MS Dhoni so formidable as a captain, expect good results for India to continue. They will need to be sagacious managing the workloads of players, something they have done superbly with Tendulkar of late.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Tournament review: Sri Lanka
Continuing our tournament reviews, here is an assessment of how losing finalists Sri Lanka did.
Brilliant top-order batting and an array of bowling options that always threatened meant few were surprised by their run to the final. Had Muttiah Muralitharan been fully fit, they may have won. Still they have much to be proud of, led by an opening pair that twice added more than 200. Kumar Sangakkara was exceptional as skipper, Lasith Malinga always exhilarating to watch.
Star man
Though several excelled, it’s hard to look past Tillakaratne Dilshan. His explosive batting earned 500 runs – more than anyone else in this World Cup – while he also chipped in with eight wickets with his canny off-spin.
Disappointment
Hard to pick one, but Chamara Silva was never fluent with the bat, and was dropped for the final.
Prospects
Several spinners will aim to be the ‘new Murali’, with Ajantha Mendis, omitted for the final, perhaps the most promising. With Dilshan, Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena all at least 33, new batsmen are probably an even bigger priority. They are also looking for a new coach.
Brilliant top-order batting and an array of bowling options that always threatened meant few were surprised by their run to the final. Had Muttiah Muralitharan been fully fit, they may have won. Still they have much to be proud of, led by an opening pair that twice added more than 200. Kumar Sangakkara was exceptional as skipper, Lasith Malinga always exhilarating to watch.
Star man
Though several excelled, it’s hard to look past Tillakaratne Dilshan. His explosive batting earned 500 runs – more than anyone else in this World Cup – while he also chipped in with eight wickets with his canny off-spin.
Disappointment
Hard to pick one, but Chamara Silva was never fluent with the bat, and was dropped for the final.
Prospects
Several spinners will aim to be the ‘new Murali’, with Ajantha Mendis, omitted for the final, perhaps the most promising. With Dilshan, Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena all at least 33, new batsmen are probably an even bigger priority. They are also looking for a new coach.
Tournament review: West Indies
Bowling Bangladesh out for 58 was perhaps the most impressive feat any bowling side managed but West Indies still can’t win against the ‘big eight’, having failed to do so since 28 June 2009. They seem to lack belief against the best, as the manner in which they subsided against Pakistan after Chris Gayle’s dismissal was testament to, and weren’t helped by Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shiv Chanderpaul enduring grim spells. The bowling was better, with leg spinner Devendra Bishoo impressing.
Star man
Kemar Roach showed himself to be a genuinely incisive quick, and claimed 13 wickets – but he needed more support.
Disappointment
Sarwan and Chanderpaul failing to manage a 50 in 11 innings between them, utterly lacking in any fluency.
Prospects
They look a better-balanced side without skipper Darren Sammy – Andre Russell is a similar player but superior with bat and ball – so his position may come under threat. Coach Ottis Gibson has promised big chances after the quarter-final humiliation, and this side does have better players than the performances suggest. Vivacious all-rounder Dwayne Bravo will be key on his return.
Star man
Kemar Roach showed himself to be a genuinely incisive quick, and claimed 13 wickets – but he needed more support.
Disappointment
Sarwan and Chanderpaul failing to manage a 50 in 11 innings between them, utterly lacking in any fluency.
Prospects
They look a better-balanced side without skipper Darren Sammy – Andre Russell is a similar player but superior with bat and ball – so his position may come under threat. Coach Ottis Gibson has promised big chances after the quarter-final humiliation, and this side does have better players than the performances suggest. Vivacious all-rounder Dwayne Bravo will be key on his return.
Tournament review: Bangladesh
Continuing our tournament reviews, here is an assessment of how Bangladesh did.
Hosting World Cup games for the first time, Bangladesh recorded a memorable win over England – but were bowled out for 58 and 78 either side of that game. As that stat makes apparent, their batting retains a penchant for spectacular implosion. Their array of spinners were hard to get away, but they too seldom possessed wicket-taking venom. Many expected Bangladesh to reach the quarter-finals, and they were a disappointment, even if the England win was amongst the most memorable in their history.
Star man
Shafiul Islam was unheralded before the tournament, but proved Bangladesh’s biggest match-winner. A brilliant spell of 4/21 secured a tight win over Ireland before he belied any batting degree to loot 24* against England. But his performances were woeful in Bangladesh’s three defeats.
Disappointment
Tamim Iqbal has been called the ‘Bangladeshi Sehwag’. He sparkled intermittently, but an average of 26 was extremely disappointing. His first-over dismissal against the West Indies precipitated the lowest score of the entire tournament.
Prospects
Should continue to improve, albeit not at the rate the ICC would hope after all they have invested there. Their batting needs more to learn more discipline, but that has been said for the last decade.
Hosting World Cup games for the first time, Bangladesh recorded a memorable win over England – but were bowled out for 58 and 78 either side of that game. As that stat makes apparent, their batting retains a penchant for spectacular implosion. Their array of spinners were hard to get away, but they too seldom possessed wicket-taking venom. Many expected Bangladesh to reach the quarter-finals, and they were a disappointment, even if the England win was amongst the most memorable in their history.
Star man
Shafiul Islam was unheralded before the tournament, but proved Bangladesh’s biggest match-winner. A brilliant spell of 4/21 secured a tight win over Ireland before he belied any batting degree to loot 24* against England. But his performances were woeful in Bangladesh’s three defeats.
Disappointment
Tamim Iqbal has been called the ‘Bangladeshi Sehwag’. He sparkled intermittently, but an average of 26 was extremely disappointing. His first-over dismissal against the West Indies precipitated the lowest score of the entire tournament.
Prospects
Should continue to improve, albeit not at the rate the ICC would hope after all they have invested there. Their batting needs more to learn more discipline, but that has been said for the last decade.
Tournament review: Canada
Continuing our tournament reviews, here is an assessment of how Canada did.
Did as well as could reasonably have been expected. Canada beat Kenya convincingly – the only game they were expected to compete in – and reached 150-2 in the 29th over against Australia, as well as bowling Pakistan out for 184. In Ashish Bagai and Jimmy Hansra, they had a pair of fluent stroke-makers, while Harvir Baidwan’s seamers and Balaji Rao’s leg-spin were a threat.
Star man
Stylish and never overawed, Ashish Bagai took them to victory over Kenya, and then scored a commanding 84 at almost a-run-a-ball against New Zealand. He also kept wicket with great skill.
Disappointment
John Davison clubbed a brilliant 111 against the West Indies in the 2003 World Cup but, at 40, could barely muster a run.
Prospects
Cricket needs to expand beyond the expat communities in Canada, and some respectable displays may have helped to do that. There are real plans to spread the sport in Canada, but it will be no easy task, especially as this could be their last ever appearance at a 50-over World Cup.
Did as well as could reasonably have been expected. Canada beat Kenya convincingly – the only game they were expected to compete in – and reached 150-2 in the 29th over against Australia, as well as bowling Pakistan out for 184. In Ashish Bagai and Jimmy Hansra, they had a pair of fluent stroke-makers, while Harvir Baidwan’s seamers and Balaji Rao’s leg-spin were a threat.
Star man
Stylish and never overawed, Ashish Bagai took them to victory over Kenya, and then scored a commanding 84 at almost a-run-a-ball against New Zealand. He also kept wicket with great skill.
Disappointment
John Davison clubbed a brilliant 111 against the West Indies in the 2003 World Cup but, at 40, could barely muster a run.
Prospects
Cricket needs to expand beyond the expat communities in Canada, and some respectable displays may have helped to do that. There are real plans to spread the sport in Canada, but it will be no easy task, especially as this could be their last ever appearance at a 50-over World Cup.
Tournament review: England
Continuing our tournament reviews, here is an assessment of how England did.
A plain side, batting and bowling with orthodoxy, England were nevertheless
described as the tournament’s entertainers, and that is what they were. England produced a series of enthralling games in the group stages and, in conspiring to lose to Ireland and Bangladesh, helped to preserve interests in the tournament. But their thrilling run ended with an ignominious 10-wicket defeat in the quarter-final, with a depleted bowling attack lacking in threat. In the final analysis, a lack of power in the batting and the absence of good spin options to complement Graeme Swann were hurdles they couldn’t have overcome even had they had the best preparation in the world.
Star man
He seldom oozes star quality, but Jonathan Trott produced a tour de force, with 422 runs at 60, and, though you wouldn’t know it, a strike-rate of 80. Critics of him should acknowledge he played his role brilliantly, but was let down by a lack of support.
Disappointment
Jimmy Anderson’s role in the Ashes win isn’t about to be forgotten but he lacked any control in this tournament. By the end, even his captain was saying he was burned out.
Prospects
Andrew Strauss is likely to resign as one-day skipper. His successor will find a side well-suited to English conditions but in need of more oomph with the bat and variation with the ball.
A plain side, batting and bowling with orthodoxy, England were nevertheless
described as the tournament’s entertainers, and that is what they were. England produced a series of enthralling games in the group stages and, in conspiring to lose to Ireland and Bangladesh, helped to preserve interests in the tournament. But their thrilling run ended with an ignominious 10-wicket defeat in the quarter-final, with a depleted bowling attack lacking in threat. In the final analysis, a lack of power in the batting and the absence of good spin options to complement Graeme Swann were hurdles they couldn’t have overcome even had they had the best preparation in the world.
Star man
He seldom oozes star quality, but Jonathan Trott produced a tour de force, with 422 runs at 60, and, though you wouldn’t know it, a strike-rate of 80. Critics of him should acknowledge he played his role brilliantly, but was let down by a lack of support.
Disappointment
Jimmy Anderson’s role in the Ashes win isn’t about to be forgotten but he lacked any control in this tournament. By the end, even his captain was saying he was burned out.
Prospects
Andrew Strauss is likely to resign as one-day skipper. His successor will find a side well-suited to English conditions but in need of more oomph with the bat and variation with the ball.
Tournament review: Kenya
Continuing our tournament reviews, here is an assessment of how Kenya did.
How far they have slipped since reaching the semi-finals in 2003. Kenya were the worst side in the tournament, the side damaged by factionalism as well as an absence of skill. Getting bowled out for 69 in their tournament opener was a start they never threatened to recover from.
Star man
Collins Obuya deserved a century against Australia but was left stranded on 98*. He handled Tait, Lee and Johnson with the assurance of a Test player, and scored 243 runs in the tournament, 110 more than the next most for his side.
Disappointment
Having scored 74 against South Africa in only his fourth ODI, Seren Waters, who is part of the set-up at Surrey, was viewed as Kenyan cricket’s great hope. He still is, but managed only 38 runs in four innings before being dropped.
Prospects
Given how far they’ve slipped, they may not even qualify for the 16-team World Twenty20 next year. The board have announced a review into their World Cup, which at least acknowledges all is not well with Kenyan cricket.
How far they have slipped since reaching the semi-finals in 2003. Kenya were the worst side in the tournament, the side damaged by factionalism as well as an absence of skill. Getting bowled out for 69 in their tournament opener was a start they never threatened to recover from.
Star man
Collins Obuya deserved a century against Australia but was left stranded on 98*. He handled Tait, Lee and Johnson with the assurance of a Test player, and scored 243 runs in the tournament, 110 more than the next most for his side.
Disappointment
Having scored 74 against South Africa in only his fourth ODI, Seren Waters, who is part of the set-up at Surrey, was viewed as Kenyan cricket’s great hope. He still is, but managed only 38 runs in four innings before being dropped.
Prospects
Given how far they’ve slipped, they may not even qualify for the 16-team World Twenty20 next year. The board have announced a review into their World Cup, which at least acknowledges all is not well with Kenyan cricket.
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