/ Editor / 09 April 2007 /

Cricket World Cup 2007 - a carnival or a disaster?

The first ever Caribbean World Cup was expected to be a celebration of the game and a chance to regenerate local interest in the sport. A smoothly run tournament and a good showing by the home team would have helped to achieve this, but unfortunately we have seen the opposite.

There have been criticisms of the ticket prices, security restrictions and inaccessibility of the new stadiums, which has resulted in low attendances and a lack of atmosphere. Unfortunately neither local cricket fans nor visiting supporters seem likely to remember a tournament, which will be forever associated with the death of Bob Woolmer with much fondness.

The West Indies have been given a lifeline by South Africa's shock defeat to Bangladesh, but the insipid displays served up by Brian Lara's men since their group stage wins suggests they are ill-equipped to take advantage.

The hosts have been wracked by familiar selection rows, which have forced the captain to make another public apology, although many local commentators, outside of Trinidad at least, continue to call for his resignation.

The hosts have not been helped by a demanding schedule that resulted in them playing on three successive days at the start of the Super Eights, but they have so many players out of form that a semi final place looks to be beyond their reach.

The West Indies have not been the only team to underperform. Pakistan and India crashed out early, which was terrible news for the tournament organisers. The rivals' prospective Super Eight clash was to be one of the tournament highlights, but whilst Ireland and Bangladesh's progress was good news for the game's development, sponsorship and TV revenue has been lost. India's absence in particular has further contributed to the small crowds at Super Eight matches.

The format for this tournament was designed to create as many high profile clashes between the major teams as possible. The ICC was mindful that events conspired to prevent this happening in England in 1999 and in South Africa in 2003, and hopes were high that the Super Eights would be just that: a battle for the semi finals between the 'big' eight Test playing nations.

Ireland and Bangladesh took advantage of the fact that they only needed to win one game against a big gun to progress, giving us an unexpected Super Eight line-up. However, neither team have proved to be whipping boys in the second phase and the Tigers' win over South Africa revitalised an ailing tournament.

The Super Eights looked like it would become a 'Super Six', in which England and the West Indies appeared to be the weak links. The semi final line-up was in danger of being decided early, leaving us with numerous 'dead' games that would further drive away spectators.

Bangladesh have ensured that the Super Eights will remain competitive and the style in which they overcame the Proteas suggests they might have a further say. England are the only major team not to have beaten another big gun and they must be alert so as not to go the same way as India and South Africa.

The Proteas' indifferent form has made a mockery of their number one ranking - although the Aussies claimed it back by beating England on Sunday - but it is the captain who holds aloft the trophy on April 28th who will have the last laugh.

Australia have been in imperious form, thrashing South Africa in their group meeting and cruising past England and the West Indies in the Super Eights. Their meetings with New Zealand and Sri Lanka will provide a measure for how improved those two outfits are.

Players and commentators were keen to point out at the tournament's outset that any number of the big guns could win it, but the holders seem as dominant as ever. Their run of defeats at the hands of England and the Kiwis seem a long time ago and Australia are the hot favourites to win their third consecutive World Cup, currently trading at 2.26 in the winner's market.

Neutrals will hope that the knockout matches at least prove to be competitive this time around. Australia cruised past Sri Lanka in a rain affected 2003 semi final and thrashed India by 125 runs in the final after amassing 359.

The Aussies have been in fine runscoring form in this tournament. Matthew Hayden hit the fastest ever World Cup ton in his side's 377 for six against South Africa and he and Ricky Ponting look to be the likeliest contenders to top the runscoring charts.

Other individual performances to have lit up the tournament include Herschelle Gibbs' six sixes in an over against the Netherlands (although this as much as anything highlighted the gulf in class between the big teams and some of the associate nations) and Lasith Malinga's four wickets in four balls against South Africa.

There has clearly been plenty to enjoy on the field - with England's narrow defeat to Sri Lanka being the most exciting game - it has just been unfortunate that so few people have been able to share that enjoyment.

The tournament organisers clearly needed to recoup the vast investment made in building and redeveloping grounds, but the inflated ticket prices have left stadiums empty. Cheaper tickets would fill seats as well as the ICC coffers.

There at least seems to be recognition that this situation is unacceptable, as ticket prices seem set to be reduced at Barbados' Kensington Oval. Restrictions on food, drink and music also look like being lifted - pending ICC approval - which would help to recapture the calypso atmosphere that has so far been missing.

The next tournament, in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2011 will surely not be blighted by propitiatory ticket prices as lessons will have been learned. It must also be hoped that tourists will not be put off by misleading stories about unavailability of tickets and accommodation, as they have been on this occasion.

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