ICC World Cup 2015: 5 takeaways from the first week of the World Cup

The first week of the 2015 edition of the World Cup is over. The week had almost everything for us. Tall scores, batting collapses, end overs juggernauts, brave show from minnows and an exceptional bowling performance by Southee. What it lacked was closely fought games. Only UAE Vs Zimbabwe match can be called as the one that almost went to the wire.The fate of the other matches were decided much earlier. If these results are anything to go by, brace yourselves for some more one sided games for the rest of the tournament.Let us have a look at some takeaways from the first week of 2015 World Cup:

#1 300s galore

Based on what has happened so far, there are going to be plenty of 300+ scores in the 2015 World Cup. Since its inception in 1975, 704 matches have been played at the previous 10 World Cups and the 300 run mark has been crossed 61 times making the percentage of such scores a meagre 11%. This includes first 3 editions of 60 overs.

We are just 9 matches into the 2015 World Cup and have already seen 6 scores of 300 or above. If the trend continues, we are likely to witness more than half such scores in this edition itself compared to previous 10. Mind boggling, isn’t it?

The recipe for 300 is simple. On a flat track keep wickets in hand – use bigger bats – add some more spice of field restrictions – pull the boundaries inside a little more – wait until the 35th over – and then keep hitting the ball out of the park until the end of the innings. Bang! There is your ‘300’.

The dish is possible even with some of the ingredients missing. If that happens to be the case, make sure you have someone like the insane South African hitters. And when you eventually get to 300, make sure you don’t pull off a West Indies.

#2 Umpires are mortals

James Anderson was given out stealing a run after James Taylor, playing on 98, was given out LBW which was later reverted in review. The law says as soon as you are given out, the ball is dead. But no. Both the on-field umpires failed to realize that. They even failed to listen when Taylor kept telling them it is a dead ball, repeating it over and over. ICC accepted the error later. James Taylor still has no ODI centuries.

Samiullah Shenwari’s joy was ruined just 7 balls into his spell on the occasion of Afghanistan’s first World Cup match when he was barred from bowling further for running onto the pitch. A decision that has to be taken after the bowler has been warned and the captain and the other umpire have been informed for such an act, twice.

In the New Zealand vs England encounter though, Milne was given a friendly warning for the same reason. If anyone deserved a friendly warning, it was Shenwari playing for the first time on this big a stage. The umpires ruined this special moment for him.

As per ICC, Shenwari was promptly warned two times one of which was, apparently, missed by all the cameras on the ground. Well, ICC could not afford to apologize twice in a matter of days, could they?

#3 Minnows made a mark

ICC have announced a 10-team format for the 2019 and 2023 World Cups. Unless ICC changes its baffling format, this could well be the last World Cup for most of the minnows and in the first week of the World Cup they played like this is there last chance.

The first match that involved an associate member was between Ireland and West Indies. The match was so comfortably won by Ireland that it would not be justified to call that an upset. After reducing West Indies to 87 for 5, Ireland enventually gave away 302 in the full 50 overs. But they were so clinical in the chase that it never looked like Ireland is going to lose. Ireland won comfortably in 46th over. Their third consecutive win against a full member nation in 3 World Cups.

New Zealand vs Scotland was relatively a dead rubber that New Zealand won. On the other hand, Afghanistan, playing their debut World Cup match, created some jitters in the Bangladesh camp until Shakib al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim bailed them out to a respectable score of 267. Afghanistan’s batting was a no show.

In the most closely fought encounter of the week, UAE did exceptionally well to reach 285 against Zimbabwe and had reduced them to 167 for 5 by the 33^rd over. A famous win was in sight, but the inexperience showed in the end as they bowled too many bad deliveries. Zimbabwe avoided the embarrassment and reached the target in the 48th over but not before UAE had made their mark.

#4 Settled nerves

The first game is supposed to be nervy and that’s what was the case for almost every team in the World Cup.

Australia’s home game against historical rivals; angry nerves. Bangladesh playing the first match against Afghanistan who beat them in their last encounter; scary nerves. India versus Pakistan; big daddy of all the nerves. England on the other hand are found to be searching for nerves.

Form or not, it is completely a different ball game when it comes down to the World Cup. India, who failed to win anything in the 3 months before the start of the tournament, won comfortably against Pakistan. Whereas, England and Pakistan who did reasonably well up to the tournament struggled to find their feet.

Pakistan went horribly wrong with their selection and tactics while England were unlucky to find themselves under what could well be the best spell of this world cup – Tim Southee’s 7 for 33.

Now that the nerves have settled, let’s get a move on.

#5 DVD of Southees spell against England

A definite take away. Literally. Southee gave away 20 runs in first 3 overs picking 1 wicket. What he did in the next 6 blew England away - 13 runs 6 wickets. It’s not just the numbers but the way he bowled was impressive.

Out of the 7 wickets, four have been bowled to swinging deliveries that hit the off stump.

• Angling in but swinging away, what a peach!
• This has swung back in towards the base of the off stump!
• Out-swinging yorker beats the outside edge to ping back the off stump!
• Another out-swinger that dips and then move past the outside edge to hit the top of off!

It does not get more beautiful than this. And to have produced all of this in a single match within a matter of minutes speaks volumes of the exhibition of swing bowling by Southee.

If that was not enough, let the DVD play a little further and watch the carnage by Brendon McCullum. Enough entertainment already Baz. You should have saved it for later.