We’re nearing the half way stage of the World Cup, and while yesterday’s India – Pakistan match gained the headlines in advance it turned out to be a relatively one sided and ultimately disappointing game, provoking amusement only in the absurd DLS target Pakistant were left with.  That’s not a criticism of the system, a target of 136 from 5 overs reflected how far behind Pakistan were effectively enough, but it add to the air of pointlessness around the closing overs.  Perhaps, given the frustration that so often applies to cricket’s management of poor weather conditions, praise should be given for getting back out there even in such circumstances, but a feeling of farce persisted nonetheless.

There has been a shortage of tight, exciting games in this tournament, perhaps four or five out of the 23, and the abandonments and rain curtailed games have added to the sense that the competition hasn’t taken off.  Adding into that the appearance of a gap between the top four and the rest in the table, and the whole World Cup is in danger of becoming a damp squib for the remainder of the qualifying competition.  There will be plenty of told you sos about that, but any tournament requires the teams to be competitive with each other in order to be exciting, and to date that’s been missing – and this is where Dave Richardson deserves the criticism given the rationale for the ten team World Cup.

Today’s game is between the West Indies and Bangladesh, and both will be aiming for 5th place in the table and to be in position in case anyone above slips up.  This World Cup needs those in the top four to slip up.