This World Cup has belonged to the teams with the best bowling attacks
Australian World Cups when played this early in the season are generally exciting because the pitches give bowlers a chance. Conditions have to be taken into account, and on seam-friendly pitches it’s more difficult to score quickly early. A higher net run rate is often achieved by having skilful players at the crease later in the innings.
Upsets and the weather always play an important role in the excitement of T20, but cricket is a better game when the bowlers are a feature of the entertainment. The good sides that bowled well have prevailed.
Another important point in the round-robin section is to win by a decent margin, but if you lose, make it a small defeat.
While a big defeat is more unexpected than an upset, it is too simple to blame Australia’s predicament on one huge loss. Their selection during the series was puzzling and reflected an uncertainty about their best combination.
Selectors need to be careful about a player’s success in domestic tournaments. Australia suffered on this count and found out it pays to test players before a World Cup to ensure they can succeed against the best opposition.
New Zealand and South Africa prospered on the back of very good bowling. In particular, South Africa’s fast bowling, spearheaded by Anrich Nortje, has been their strength. However, their sometimes fragile batting and a reputation for imploding in vital World Cup matches make them a dicey proposition in the semi-finals.
New Zealand continued to prosper in a World Cup by backing a familiar formula – they fielded brilliantly and competed at every turn. They added to the formula with the exhilarating batting power of Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips. If this World Cup follows a similar pattern to previous encounters, New Zealand’s steadiness under pressure and South Africa’s well-documented ability to crumble will play a part.
England’s spin bowling hasn’t been convincing and they need to improve in the semi-finals. Nevertheless, in a tight finish, the steady nerves of Sam Curran’s accurate medium pace will be important; he has been one of England’s unsung heroes.
The Australian World Cup has provided the usual T20 upsets and has shown the value of bowlers on friendly surfaces. The in-form teams have fared well but the knockout stage is hard to predict, confirming that T20 cricket loves upsets.