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Crunch Time World Cup

Feb 21, 2011 Editorial

Cricket World Cup #10 has finally kicked off. The opening ceremony was certainly spectacular – and flawlessly executed. Bangladesh’s reputation as an international “basket case” must have taken a dent. Our West Indies team will not be playing until Thursday, and this might explain the low level of interest that has been displayed locally up to now.
Then again, it might be that there aren’t any great expectations for the team from its long suffering supporters. Placed in Group B along with India, South Africa, England, and Bangladesh (we are optimistically excluding Ireland and Netherlands from the running) the smart money is on Bangladesh to pip the WI and move ahead. Even though they were defeated in the first game by powerhouse India, their score of 283 showed that they certainly were not out of their league.
But there is another, more widespread factor in play that may be generating the ennui. Ever since the arrival of 20/20 Cricket, especially after the razzmatazz of the IPL with its Bollywood stars, million dollar paychecks and slam-bam action, doubts were raised about the survival of the 50-Over format.
The inaugural ICC World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa, not long after the last Cricket World Cup in 2007 (right here in the WI) allowed the global cricketing public to compare the two formats.
From all indications, the 20/20 version won hands down. The follow up success of the latter 20/20 World Championships in terms of attracting both audiences and finances, has placed a great burden on the present tournament to prove its viability against the shorter format.
The ICC may be counting on the fact that this World Cup is being hosted jointly by the Indian Subcontinent – India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh (Pakistan was excluded on security concerns) –  home to the largest and most rabid agglomeration of cricketing fans. Interest there will certainly peak since there are great hopes for the home teams.
The ICC also reduced the number of participating teams from 16 to 14 and tightened the scheduling to prevent the never-ending saga that was the 2007 version. It also announced that it will further whittle down that number to 10 – much to the consternation of the “minnows”. The performance of Kenya against New Zealand – skittled out for 69 runs – didn’t help their case.
But in the meantime, the minnows will be around for the next month and it will take some doing to keep interest afloat until the second round begins. Most fans believe that this will be the “real” World Cup. But even when that point is reached, there will remain the fundamental problem with the 50 Over format.
It is firmly stuck between leisurely test cricket – which has retained its traditional aficionados as the epitome of the game – and the new frenetic 20/20 version that has brought in new, burgeoning, free-spending demographics, women and children. The 50 Over game is seen as neither fish nor fowl.
While it is common to all formats of the game, another problem that could surface to mar the success of the present World Cup would be its bête noir – organised gambling. Even though not legal in the sub continent, betting is endemic.
Its underground nature has not surprisingly encouraged bribery, match fixing and a host of corrupt behaviour that only recently caused some of the most exciting and talented players in the game (from Pakistan) to be banned.
The World Cup has come a long way from its beginning in 1975, when it was seen as so revolutionary. There have been many changes – the most shocking (not only for us West Indians) being our inglorious fall from the top of the cricketing roster to practically its bottom.
Beginning by just restricting the number of overs to 60, we have seen coloured uniforms, white balls, field restrictions, power plays, change of balls etc introduced to entice fans.
We wish the World Cup – and the West Indies team the best. They have both given us great moments over the years.

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