Cricket World Cup 2011: The revival of the 50 over format?

Kevin O'Brien celebrates his century against England (BBC Sport)

Two weeks ago, 50 over cricket was supposedly on its deathbed and the 2011 Cricket World Cup was to be one last hurrah for a format that was soon to be superseded by Twenty20 as the dominant form of limited overs cricket.

Obituaries were freely written for a version of the game regarded as increasingly outdated and irrelevant while the ICC decided to exclude associate members from future World Cups in favour of expanding the fledgling ICC World Twenty20.

Although the opening rounds of this World Cup have had their fair share of whitewashes, they have also produced enough surprises and epics to suggest that there is life yet for this form of the game, while the performances of associate nations such as Ireland and the Netherlands have put pressure on the ICC to reconsider its decision to contract the size of the competition.

The cause of the 50 over game had not been helped by the last two World Cups in South Africa and the West Indies, which were lacklustre, poorly organised and seemingly never-ending.

Political issues plagued the 2003 event as England and New Zealand pulled out of games in Zimbabwe and Kenya respectively on security fears and forfeited points that could have permitted them to advance in the tournament, which lasted for a staggering six weeks.

The 2007 World Cup promised a carnival of Caribbean cricket yet is widely regarded as the worst organised in history as low attendances, high ticket prices and restrictions on what could be brought into the ground stifled the atmosphere.

An unprecedented 16 teams entered which resulted in many one-sided contests and the early exits of India and Pakistan from another lengthy tournament.

The farcical nature of the competition was epitomised by the final itself after Sri Lanka were forced to bat the final three overs of the game in virtual darkness, having already conceded defeat in their run chase and the PA announcer declaring Australia the champions.

Combined with the tragic death of Bob Woolmer, the tournament took its toll on players and fans alike who became disinterested and fatigued long before its conclusion.

Since the last World Cup final, Twenty20 cricket has witnessed a significant increase in popularity with three editions of the ICC World Twenty20 being held and the formation of the Indian Premier League.

Indeed the 2009 and 2010 World Twenty20s were more entertaining than the previous two World Cups with the 2010 tournament in the West Indies providing a far more authentic Caribbean atmosphere than the 2007 World Cup.

It was in this climate of disillusionment that the 2011 World Cup began. After an average opening game between co-hosts India and Bangladesh, the tournament sparked to life in the clash between England and the Netherlands.

The Netherlands famously beat England in the opening game of the 2009 WorldTwenty20 at Lords and the Dutch came mightily close to repeating the trick in 2011 as a Ryan Doeschate inspired side narrowly lost to England after posting an impressive 292.

More exciting contests were to follow as Bangladesh, a test-playing nation, were pushed all the way in their victory over associate member Ireland, while Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by just 11 runs. However, the best was yet to come as two games both involving England would really set the tournament alight over the space of four days.

Billed as the biggest game of the tournament so far, England and India arrived in Banglore for a match that would reveal much about both teams’ tournament aspirations. Talismanic batsman Sachin Tendulkar scored his 47^th ODI century and his fifth in World Cups as India set England a daunting run chase of 339, the fourth highest in history.

With India firmly on top, England’s steady start gave the team belief and Andrew Strauss’ superbly crafted century undermined the Indian’s confidence while the crowed became deathly silent.  England looked as though they were cruising to victory, but India took vital wickets that thrust them firmly back into the ascendancy.

As England looked as though they were about to throw the game away, Graeme Swann and Ajmal Shahzad recovered to put England in a position to win off the final ball. Requiring two runs to win, England scored just one to tie the game.

In an exhilarating game which saw the initiative pass back and forth between both sides, England and India produced a perfect advertisement for the 50 over game. The match witnessed most runs ever scored in an ODI, the spectacular centuries from Tendulkar and Strauss would not have been possible in the frantic and impatient world of Twenty20.

After the drama against India, England remained in Bangalore to face Ireland in another contest that would not only demonstrate the merits of 50 over cricket, but also argue the case for associate members inclusion in World Cups.

Ireland slumped to 111/5 during their chase of England’s 327, but Kevin O’Brien’s stunning century, the fastest ever in World Cup history, led the Irish to victory.

The match demonstrated how 50 over games can be turned around in the middle overs with victory snatched from the jaws of defeat as Ireland secured a famous win which cast doubt over the wisdom of the ICC’s decision to reduce the number of teams in Cricket World Cups .

Perhaps responding to criticisms regarding the competitiveness of certain matches and the lengths of World Cups, the ICC decided before the 2011 tournament that only ten teams would compete in the 2015 World Cup.

Critics of the decision argue that it removes the chance for associate members to participate in tournaments with the biggest teams and that it removes any opportunity for the game to expand beyond being a post-colonial legacy.

The ICC have countered this claim by promising to expand the World Twenty20 as they feel the format is the best vehicle for expanding the game to new countries. While this may be true, much of the cricket played in associate nations is 50 over and the set up of their national team is geared towards potential qualification for the World Cup.

Unless the ICC provide associate nations with an opportunity to qualify for future World Cups and regular matches against the full members, nations such as Ireland and the Netherlands will have no platform to prove themselves in what still remains the dominant one day format and there will be no method of evaluating nations for potential accession to the realms of test match cricket.

Twenty20 may yet surpass it in terms of popularity, but the opening two weeks of the 2011 Cricket World Cup has proved that there is life in the 50 over game and that there is no need to abandon it just yet. However if it is to continue to thrive, then associate nations need a chance to compete unless it is to become the preserve an elite few.

Friday Night Lights

Friday heralded the beginning of a brand new European Championship Qualifying campaign and England did their best to silence the critics who have been calling for the players’, and indeed the manager’s, heads since the disastrous campaign in South Africa. Jermain Defoe scored England’s only winner at the World Cup and he was in equally predatory form again at Wembley, scoring a hat-trick while Adam Johnson, who was left out of the final squad in June, scored his first goal for the Three Lions. The qualifiers for this tournament will take place on Fridays and Tuesdays, a break from the normal scheduling of Saturdays and Wednesdays, in the hope that it will give club managers more time to prepare for domestic fixtures when the players are released by their international sides. Inevitably, this has been criticised by fans who have complained that the timing of these matches means that their attendance is dependent on the ability to get time off work if they live outside of London. While this is a considerable oversight by those at UEFA, there has been one advantage of this decision in that for the first time in a long time there has been virtually no football over a weekend during the season.

International breaks have been seen by some fans, especially those who don’t see the value in international football, as a distraction from league football. Although there is far less football than usual it was still possible to make a weekend of it as fixtures for the Home Nations were staggered and if there was South American qualifying, there were games on in the small hours too. This was not possible with the new scheduling as most games kicked off around eight o’clock unless they were in Eastern Europe like the Republic of Ireland were. What resulted was a weekend void of Premier League, Championship or international football and while the media gave much time and space to analysis of the qualifiers, it was refreshing to see other sports and other levels of football in the spotlight.

The Aviva Premiership Rugby season kicked off on Saturday with the London double-header at Twickenham. ESPN are beginning their coverage of the competition and broadcast both games, devoting most of their Saturday afternoon to the clash between last years runner-up Saracens and London Irish and Wasps v Harlequins. Today, BBC Radio 5 live will broadcast commentary of Northampton v Leicester, something that would not happen during a weekend heaving with Premier League football.

Much attention was also paid to the conclusion of the county cricket season as both the Clydesdale Bank 40 and County Championship competitions enter their final stages. Sunday’s Twenty20 international between England and Pakistan would have been in the headlines regardless, owing to the current match-fixing scandal, but with no other sporting event aside from the aforementioned Premiership clash being able to rival it, the Cardiff contest becomes the main sporting event this afternoon.

Lower-league football and non-league football also received a boost from the Euro 2012 qualifiers. League One fixtures were live on Sky Sports and on BBC Radio 5 live, while the 3pm kick-offs did not have to contend with an England game which would have affected attendances at the grounds. Much attention was paid to the East London derby between Dagenham and Redbridge and Leyton Orient as well as Southampton v Rochdale. Saturday was declared ‘Non-League Day’ as fans were encouraged to use this day off to attend a non-league match. BBC Radio Kent received calls from many fans who had been attending non-league games for many years and from those who were attending their first match.

While American sports leagues have often been criticised on this side of the pond for their capitalist nature, their submission to television networks and their propensity to move cities, American sports culture allows for the domination of more than one sport, something that ours does not. While American football is perhaps the most dominant of the ‘big three’ sports which also includes baseball and basketball, they share air-time and column space. This is in stark contrast to the British sports media which predominantly consists of wall-to-wall football. While this results from many factors which cannot be explained here, it is refreshing to see.

Football is undisputedly the most popular sport in this country and there is no danger of that changing in the near future. The Premier League dominates every other league in this country in terms of revenue, attendance and influence meaning that other sports and other leagues barely get a look in. With the international games moving to Friday however, a window has opened for these sports as well as the lower leagues of the football pyramid to get some of the limelight.

Cup Match: A Bermudian Tradition

Cricket: Bermuda

Sport is often said to bring some countries to a standstill, but in Bermuda this is taken to another level as virtually the entire island shuts down to enjoy the annual cricketing contest between St. George’s and Somerset Cricket Clubs known as Cup Match. During this two-day public holiday, which takes place on the Thursday and Friday nearest August 1, Bermudians partake in camping, boating and swimming while thousands attend the match itself, the venue of  which alternates between the two competing team’s home grounds.

Cricket is incredibly popular in this former British colony and the Bermudian national team compete at ICC competitions, most notably the 2007 Cricket World Cup where they lost all three of their games. Notable players for the island include former Glamorgan captain David Hemp and spin bowler Dwayne Leverock, who played for Somerset in this year’s competition. Four streets in Bermuda are named in honour of cricket; Fielder’s Lane, Bat ‘n’ Ball Lane, Cricket Lane and Grandstand Lane, which gives an indication of the importance that locals place on cricket. The Cup Match is the centrepiece of the domestic season as a carnival atmosphere descends on the island. Fans of the rival teams display their colours (Red and navy for Somerset and blue and dark blue for St. George’s) in the lead up to the game which attracts attendances of around 7,000 and is broadcast on both TV and radio.

The Cup Match has its origins in the celebrations that took place to following the end of slavery in 1834. A key feature of these celebrations was a cricket game between the lodges from the opposing ends of Bermuda and in 1902 it turned into an annual competition between Somerset Cricket Club in the west and St George’s in the east. The game captivated the island and many didn’t go into work during the match which led to the government declaring the two days on which the game occurred as public holidays in 1947.

This year’s match was held at Somerset Cricket Club on the 29^th and 30^th of July as St. George’s looked to defend the title they had held since 2005. Despite a strong start by the holders, Somerset fought back with the help of Bermudian international Malachi Jones, who earned figures of 4-71. Any potential comeback was ended by persistent heavy rain and little was possible on the second day of play which meant that game ended in a draw and St. George’s retained the trophy.  The Royal Gazette declared it this year’s Cup Match as the “wettest in memory” and also argued that the game had been ruined by the rain and that this would only strengthen calls for a third day to be added to the match, or for a reserve day to be allocated. Despite this, many stayed to enjoy the festivities that are associated with Cup Match such as the concerts and local food. As the organisers are keen to stress the Cup Match is more than just a cricket match as it helps to mark the emancipation.

Another important event to note was the retirement of Dwayne Leverock from Cup Match cricket. The spinner, who achieved worldwide fame following his catch at the 2007 Cricket World Cup, made his debut in 1990 and took 44 wickets during his Cup Match career leaving him 16^th in the all-time rankings. ‘Sluggo’, as he is known, won the “Safe Hands” award for the catch which ended the St. George’s innings, the second time that he was won this award.

The Cup Match represents a great tradition and one that is embraced by the people of Bermuda. It is also testament to the enduring popularity of cricket that continues to survive in this part of the world despite the threat of other sports.

The Joys of Local Radio

As a seasoned listener to Radio 5 Live, I am well acquanited with sports commentaries on the radio. However, except for a podcast or two, this particular radio statation has some what of a monopoly in what I listen to in terms of sports radio. Sport on five is a fantastic programme, as are the commentaries that are offered. 6-0-6 is probably past its sell by date in terms of its concept as the programme is lucky to attract perhaps one intelligent caller a programme, if that (The peak of such idiocy was achieved a few weeks back when one caller, a United fan, suggested that Wayne Rooney wasn't the standard expected of a Manchester United player). The World Football phone in on Saturday mornings as part of the "Up All Night" programme is far superior and the podcast is one of the best out there. All of this content is great, but it tends to focus on the more mainstream issues, and to be honest, there isn't enough sport on the station. I'm not a huge fan of Talksport, so what was I to do to satisfy my insatiable desire for sports radio? I put on local radio.

A lot of local radio programming is hit and miss. My home station is BBC Radio Kent, and up until recently I'd never listened to it unless to hear if the school was closed due to snow. This was changed when i clicked on a link that would give me live commentary of a Friends Provident Trophy match involving Kent. I've always been a fan of Test Match Special and the fact that they can often make certain cricket matches more entertaining than if it was on the television, but this cricket commentary was much different. It seemed to attract a much more hardcore following, and while I though such a programme would have limited appeal, I was wrong. There were people sending in questions from all over the country, and seemed very informed. Much like the World Football phone-in, this attracted a much more intelligent sports fan than 6-0-6.

As I support Manchester United, I had no reason to turn on the radio to listen to football news, and although I follow the fortunes of Gillingham, Ebbsfleet and Maidstone United, the lack of a major sports team in the county is represented by the relatively small amount of sports content on the station. As I write this, I am listening to live commentary of Ebbsfleet United v Torquay in the FA Trophy final at Wembley on BBC Radio Kent. Admittedly, there are only the Football League play-offs to offer an alternative for my sporting attention, but its entertaining and is a refreshing change from the good, but predictable, Five Live football offering on a Saturday.

The BBC website offers links to local radio commentaries when they are on, and next time you are looking for something to listen to, there are far worse alternatives than taking a punt and listening to one. The BBC, i feel does not promote local sport content enough and although it might take a while to find, it is generally interesting and worth that time. I shall be looking forward to the Kent cricket matches over the summer, although favourites such as Sport on Five and Test Match Special will still be essential listening.

Twenty20: The Way Forward

Tomorrow, the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa begins. The format that was pioneered by the ECB has taken the world of cricket by storm since its inception in 2003. Despite the growing popularity of the shorter game, traditionalists have remained skeptical and some countries have refused to embrace Twenty20. This version of the game is the way forward for cricket to ensure it's long-term future and to attract young followers to the game.

The Twenty20 format was touted around as a method of gaining extra revenue for County Cricket sides. The fast-paced game would allow for spectacular shots and a result within a short period of time. Counties often scheduled their Twenty20 matches in their out grounds, but following the high attendances and public reception of the format, clubs held their games at their main venues in order to maximize profit. Young children were entranced by the spectacle. The county game is structured so that the clubs can produce good, young cricketers for the England team. While England test matches and One-Day Internationals are well attended, County Championship matches and Limited-overs games are not. Teams that do not have an England Test venue often fail to bring in as much revenue as those that do, and in order for these clubs to continue producing England players, they need money.

One only has to look at tonight's match between the Middlesex Crusaders and the Derbyshire Phantoms. In the first flood-lit match at Lords, the attendance was not quite what you would call a "full-house". In order for County Cricket to remain financially viable, Twenty20 matches must be on the agenda, even if that means scrapping one of the two 40-over tournament in the season. There are not enough England games to go around for teams to all have an international venue.

On the international stage, the scene is set for Twenty20 to become the predominant format of the limited overs game. The two last Cricket World Cups have been uninspiring to say the least. They have been marred by political controversies and poor organisation, not to mention the embarrassment of the Jamaican police following the death of Bob Woolmer. The games were rarely entertaining and the tournaments have dragged on for far too long. The promises of a West Indian carnival of cricket failed to materialise in the last edition of the tournament. The Twenty20 World Championship will last around two weeks and will be filled with match-ups, that if they stay faithful to the Twenty20 cup, that will go right down to the wire.

Twenty20 is a fantastic format that could bring cricket the masses. Indeed it could give county cricket a steady stream of revenue to allow it to continue producing players for the England team and allow international cricket to allow itself to have an exciting spectacle comparable to other sport's world championships.