The beauty of modern World Cups is that we can always expect to see some wonderful, innovative, and creative cricket. Players of today can do things that we never considered doing in the 1970’s and 1980’s. If we tried to be a bit fancy and it didn’t come off we invariably got a telling off. Players today play high risk cricket and if successful the rewards are great. I would venture to say that the current players are far more skilful than the players of yesteryear.
I am absolutely fascinated seeing a batsman play the ramp shot or scoop the ball over his head for six — the reverse sweeps, the switch shots, backing away and plundering the ball over cover or stepping outside the off stump and hitting the ball anywhere on the leg side — great skill and confidence is needed to pull these shots off.
Fast bowlers have an arsenal of so many different types of deliveries to bowl — they have three or four slower balls — I had two. I expect the spinners to succeed with their subtle variations and taking the pace off the ball to make the batsmen hit over the inner field and the boundary — quality spin bowlers will succeed anywhere.
The fielding is outstanding — players are fitter and faster than previous years. They put their bodies on the line to save a run that can make all the difference between winning and losing a game. Seeing fielders catch the ball centimetres inside the boundary and having to throw it up in the air as they step over the boundary only to return to the playing field to catch it is extraordinary.
There are so many unknowns that can cause any team a major scare in this tournament at this crucial stage. A rain affected match against a lower ranked team that allows the Duckworth-Lewis system to decide the outcome could be costly if the fancied team misses out on those crucial points.
A rained out game or losing the toss and batting first on a frisky pitch could be crucial which Australia faced against Bangladesh. We have already seen lot of players facing injury problems. Senior players running out of form, injuries and other situations could decide the World Champions for 2015.
We are in the mid-way of this tournament. India almost confirmed the top position of Group B. They played some very good cricket and are coming into top form at the right time with four very good wins in first four games and hope they will be unbeaten in their group.
Indian pace bowlers are doing well and R. Ashwin is adding much needed balance to the bowling attack. Although target was not so high but Indian batsman found themself in some trouble after losing wickts quickly.
But captain MS Dhoni took the charge and saved his team from that situation. It looks as though the team is really focused and they are erasing those recent bad memories in Australian conditions. As defending champions they look very interested in becoming back to back winners.
I am hopeful this tournament will be played competitively and fairly. I do not want to see player confrontations and verbal attacks — there has been too much of this going on in recent times inside the ground and also outside. The game can do without all this nonsense. The ‘spirit’ of the game must prevail at all times.
Hawkeye / Chivach Sports
