Congratulations to Ireland who won the competition, thrashing Canada in the final. Ireland return to the World Cup Finals alongside Canada, Netherlands and Kenya. Afghanistan were the feel-good story of the tournament, beating Scotland to finish 5th, and I think they were the only team to beat Ireland in the whole competition. They have now been granted full ODI status, but somehow I don’t think the major nations will be queuing up to tour Kabul and Kandahar in the immediate future.

There will be 14 teams in the Finals following the number of teams in the South African competition in 2003. However there will be quarter-finals rather than the interminable Super Pick A Number, and so unless shock and horror take over the competition, the 8 major test playing nations should have it their own way. After all, in the light of what happened in 2007, we can’t have a freak defeat eliminating major teams like India and Pakistan, can we?

I really can’t be bothered with the World Cup when it comes around. It just doesn’t hold the appeal of the football, or even rugby, equivalent and that’s because it is not the peak of the game – test cricket is. Plus the ICC can’t help but cock up anything they touch, and the competition hasn’t been any good since 1992. The tragedy is that machinations and chicanery prevented the competition from being down under this time around, and now that Pakistan have been ejected, the Indian cricket authorites get more of the pie. Look for “time outs” to become part of the proceedings.