WORLD CUP FINAL MUSINGS

Should not Mujeeb be in the Australian World Cup winners final photo? Had he held on to that sitter early off Maxwell you never know… then in the final round maybe the Afghans would not have lost with just 15 balls to spare to (an already through) South Africa, and would Australia have so confidently chased Bangladesh’s 306 down if their quarter-final spot was on the line knowing they had to win that match to go through…?

Ifs, buts and maybes, but I’m not having all this chat that 50 over cricket and the original World Cup format is dead.

Yes it did not have the phenomenal close games of the 2015 version, nor the once in a lifetime finish to the 2019 edition, but there were still shocks and some cracking games (take Aus and NZ again) even with the oddity of one 10-team group, 45 matches without the Windies or other smaller nations like Ireland, Scotland or Namibia. Hopefully this changes and we soon go back to groups, be it four of four, or two of eight and/or ‘super’ whatevers, but a World Cup should have atleast 16 different nations in it.

‘It was still a tournament I will remember fondly for the Dutch and Afghans-beating South Africa and England respectively, though the latter may seem less of an impressive feat in these depressing days of English 50-over cricket neglect.’It was still a tournament I will remember fondly for the Dutch and Afghans-beating South Africa and England respectively, though the latter may seem less of an impressive feat in these depressing days of English 50-over cricket neglect.

Where the final was won…

Fielding:

Austalia’s fielding in that first innings and their two powerplay performances won it for me. Take Warner, aged 35 springing full length to keep Suryakumer Yadav (SKY) to 2 not 4 in the 48th over of game. Sky, lo and behold, got out next ball, probably frustrated it was not four, India’s last hopes of a last couple of overs thrash, gone.

Marnus Labuschagne aptly earnt his fourth run out of the World Cup the last ball of the innings. Noone else got more than two, and he wasn’t even guaranteed his space in the side for this tournament, he couldn’t get in if Travis Head was fit for the first match, but he did enough with his early opportunities without ever making a big score.

India are a vastly improved fielding side, Ravindra Jadeja for me is still the best fielder in the professional game. Kohli’s clean pick up at extra cover from Siraj’s first ball to Head is the hardest hit, clean pick up I can remember in a while. But, first ball he didn’t even attempt to catch a beautiful, big swinger from Bumrah off Warner’s edge to slip. That down and soon it’s seven off balls, momentum massively with the Aussies early on. Then Head (even with no foot movement) smashed two more fours, 15-0 off one over! That gap in a slip ‘cordon’ trying to cover too much ground-pivotal.

Bowling change

Of course Jasprit Bumrah was going to open with one new pill, but t’other end. Siraj had done nothing special really all tournament, but with the other four bowlers firing, he kept his place. Come the final Rohit hands the other new ball to the golden boy of the tournament-Mohammed Shami.

The Indian Broad?! Good to lefthanders- got Rachin Ravindra early in the semi-final and of course then David Warner in the final. Shami took new ball not Siraj (not bowled til 16th) But despite getting Warner Shami went for 23 off two overs, searching for wickets rather than doing his usual thing that’s worked so well the rest of the tournament. Average of 28 vs average of nine for Shami opening v first change…

Siraj was not bowled til the 16th over, by then the shine had been Headed off both balls, and he was even less effective. Siraj and Shami were the two most expensive Indian bowlers. Costly Rohit move?

I love Rohit Sharma, he and QDK (just pipping Warner/Head) would have to open in the current best ODI side, but he had a couple stinkers in the final. He batted as well as all tournament for 30 balls, but then had a brain fade trying to take a third consecutive boundary off the more than canny powerplay bowler Glenn Maxwell.

The chase

4.4 overs in, already two down as this pitch was clearly never going to suit Mitch Marsh’s Western Australian batting style. This game situation and surface required Marnus and Smith, the best 3-4 axis in current test cricket to go into red ball mode, do their thing and even if it takes them 40 overs get them over the line, who cares if the trophy comes home.

Head barely faced a ball early on, just nine out of the first 30 rocks as Smith looked ‘on,’ the most imperious on drive down the ground off Indian talisman Bumrah to get off the mark seventh ball.

A man who batted with himin the 2015 CWC final winning knock Shane Watson was superbly enlightening on Comms as he had been with fellow modern era teammate Finch all comp.

But two balls later Smith gone, umpires call on off bail at best my instant gut…not reviewed?! I thought Steve Smith of all men knows where’s his stumps are, knows where he’s stood…obvious to me & those I watching with that that outside off stump even off first viewing… Pivotal, crucial, tournament winners deciding…Head could’ve encouraged a review too.. rarely both reviews used up for top six in 50 overs anyway!Pressure of deafening Ahmedabad even gets to an experienced best batter in the world like Smith?! English umpires (both Richards) rather India win..?! Hard to tell, lesser of two evils for Englishmen, don’t think it a factor at all for two of the best umpires.

After 23.3 overs they were dead level at 126-3 but from thereafter there seemed to be a boundary an over, often off the first ball too. Head straight over Shami head for four in the 24th silenced the crowd most. The legendary CWC final commentator Ian Smith reckoned they weren’t squeezing enough and you cannot disagree. Watson agreed, too easy for Marnus to get singles, if long off came up, I doubt Marnus would come down and go over the top, not with 110 still to win anyway.

Final final thoughts…

Marsh said he going to WA for a couple days then he’d be back to win the World Cup-Aussie confidence personified, and they pulled it off again! “Risen like a phoenix from the Ashes after the first few games “ as Matty Hayden put it nicely, the Aussies struggled with a hard run of fixtures early on, but as they do, they found a way, and all the more easily thanks to Mujeeb’s drop and Travis Head’s return.

Head (fourth highest score in a CWC final-and yes two of the three above him were also Aussies) man of the match today and in the World Test Championship final v India too. Add to that getting the key catch getting Rohit-the only fluent looking Indian and what a comeback from a guy who nearly did not make the entire World Cup squad with that pre tournament injury.

I’ll leave you with a fact for thought…:

Travis Head has played no IPL games since 2017 but has played 13 county championship and 16 One Day Cup games in that time. Marnus has never played in the IPL but has played 48 times for Glamorgan-a one county overseas star in England….

Extras and sundries

Siraj drive past mid off last over mid off didn’t dive-3 runs difference? (Wasn’t in the end but could have been pivotal…