Alive and Kicking!

For some time now, many a prominent member of the cricket fraternity has argued that it’s high time that the game’s 50 over format was jettisoned in favour of expanding the profile of its younger, flashier sibling, Twenty20 cricket.  Certainly, the Twenty20 format has proved to be hugely appealing to a distinctively mixed demographic of cricket fan the world over. Its supporters claim that the format has absorbed all the most appealing aspects of 50 over cricket – the batting pyrotechnics, the skill and guile of the bowler, the feats of superhuman fielding, the nail bitingly tense close finishes, the sheer unpredictability of  the one day game – whilst dispensing with the frequently turgid, attritional nature of the mid-innings phase. Removing 50 over matches from the game’s international fixture calendar will also provide some much needed respite for the game’s global superstars, many of whom have been vociferously complaining of ‘burn-out’ as a result of national commitments, whilst strangely showing little reluctance in signing up to partake in the high profile gravy train that is the IPL!
Judging by the opening fortnight of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, reports of the imminent death of the 50 over format have been exaggerated. There have been record breaking feats with bat and ball, twists and turns in numerous matches, controversial umpiring decisions, and shock results, often played out in front of colourful, captivated capacity crowds in impressive stadia. No team has experienced the highs and lows of the tournament so far as much as England, a sentiment not lost on key spinner Graeme Swann.  Having struggled to overcome a Ryan Ten Doeschate inspired Netherlands in the opening game, a heroic batting display against India resulted in a dramatic last ball tie! England then came crashing down to Earth, losing by three wickets to underdogs Ireland.  A second successive defeat seemed on the cards in England’s next game, as South Africa looked well placed at 121-3, chasing a target of just 172. A dramatic collapse then led to an unlikely English victory, and, not for the first time, much questioning of the collective temperament of the South African team.

At the time of writing, picking a winner is a tough call to make. India are the main hosts of the tournament, and so are familiar with the unique playing conditions – slow, flat, batting tracks, generally affording little help to all but the most patient and skillful of seamers, whilst frequently providing some assistance for the slow bowler. Factor in, also, India’s stellar batting line-up, headed by the incomparable Sachin Tendulkar, and the fanatical Indian support, and it’s no surprise that India were many a fan’s pre-tournament favourites:

Aside from the possible future of 50 over international cricket, much is riding on the 2011 Cricket World Cup. India and co-hosts Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be very keen to run a successful tournament on and off the pitch, knowing full well this will result in a welcome boost to various sectors of their respective economies. India will want to show that they have learnt their lessons from hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games, an event beset by a host of ills - excessive budget overruns, construction delays, poor living conditions for athletes, the withdrawal of prominent athletes, even allegations of corruption. Sri Lanka will want to grab the opportunity to show that post-civil war, the country’s previously warring factions can unite behind a single cause. Bangladesh, too, will want to show that a spirit of resurgence is prevalent within a country best known for its deep and widespread poverty, and susceptibility to damning Acts of God.