The win over South Africa could not have gone much better for England – and that catch galvanised an unexpected amount of interest in the Cricket World CupIt was not only the England team who were grateful to Ben Stokes in the victory over South Africa. So was everyone in the offices of the England and Wales Cricket Board, which is eager to promote this “once in a generation opportunity”.The board can – and has – contrived lots of well-meaning gimmickry in an effort to galvanise interest in the 2019 World Cup. But all of its efforts were utterly outstripped by the eight-second clip shown on Thursday’s Ten O’Clock News of Stokes taking that catch to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo on...
From Australia and South Africa choking at home to India’s 2007 shock and England’s woes, half a dozen CWC nightmaresThe year 2007 changed cricket, a transformation that pivoted on India’s performance in its two international tournaments – their early exit from the 50-over shindig and their triumph in the inaugural Twenty20 one. In a Caribbean World Cup that opened with four groups of four from which only two teams progressed, the competition’s defining day was not its concluding one – when Australia emphatically beat Sri Lanka to secure a third successive crown – but its fifth, on which Pakistan and India crashed to cataclysmic defeats, against Ireland and Bangladesh respectively. Pakistan’s tournament was then engulfed by tragedy with the death...
The all-rounder came in when England were wobbling but his calm assurance set up a big total and then he took a wonder catch and the last two South Africa wicketsAccording to the ICC the average age of people who have bought tickets for this World Cup is 40, but one would never have known it on Thursday morning. It felt as ife there were 25,000 children spilling out of the tube stations and pouring up Harleyford Road towards the Oval.Everyone who cares feels a bit like a little kid again on days such as this, especially now England have a team worth getting childishly excited about. So the stands rang with that very particular sound, unique to a cricket...
On the pitch Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes took centre stage. Off it, the fans’ joy suggest cricket is doing just fine as it isWelcome to the World Cup. Thirteen years, seven England captains, assorted white‑ball revolutions and one frankly alarming opening ceremony in the making: England and Wales 2019 is finally up and running. Related: Stokes and Archer star as England beat South Africa in Cricket World Cup Ben Stokes’s feat joins a long list of contenders for the title. Among English cricket’s other finest recent catches:Paul Collingwood England v Australia, third ODI, Jun 2005As Matthew Hayden produces a powerful cut, Collingwood soars high, arched back, and holds the ball tight. Hailed as one of the best catches of all time. ...
Victory for England, fireworks from Chris Gayle and a Sri Lankan meltdown: our pundits set out their forecasts for a month and a half of ODIsVic Marks Australia. England may have the batsmen but Australia, if they’re fit and firing, have the bowlers in Starc and Cummins, plus a highly motivated Warner and Smith. Two other reasons: they have won five out of 11 World Cups. I’m usually wrong. Related: Boos, hairbands and Cricket World Cup predictions – The Spin podcast Related: West Indies' Jason Holder: ‘Hopefully we can bring the people of the region closer’ Related: The Spin | A brief history of the Cricket World Cup Related: Gareth Batty’s guide to the Cricket World Cup grounds Related: The...