Up for the Cup

Random thoughts and idle musings as the second phase kicks off: -

- We now have a best part of a month to look forward to with a meaningful game of cricket every day. The time difference means that most of the game is in prime time, even for us wage -slaves who do the 9-5 shift.

- There have been some comments in the press about how the lack of India and Pakistan in the Super 8's somehow detracts from the competition. One of the BBC Five Live reporters went as far as to say that "it shouldn't be allowed to happen again" - which at a time when the words 'match fixing' are on everyones lips, is a rather ill-advised comment.

- Talking of match fixing, Ireland beat Pakistan fair and square - Pakistan lost because they didn't play well enough on the day. Same with Bangladesh over India. If people don't like sporting upsets like this, maybe they should just stick to watching sports where a small number of teams are totally dominant and win everything - the English Premiership for example.

- I've learnt more about sports betting in the past week than I did in the previous 42 years of my life. Next thing you know there'll be a feature on Blue Peter - 'Here's a match I rigged earlier...'

- Who'll be in the 'Final Four'? Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa look pretty certain to make the cut, and I'm guessing that the final place will come down to a 'winner take all' match between England and the West Indies. England need to win a minimum of two games out of the four they have against Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa & West Indies.

- Much has been made in the media about the fact that the head of the police investigation into Bob Woolmer's murder is an ex British detective. Presumably this is supposed to offer some sort of reassurance that Dibble will get a quick result and that good old Anglo Saxon justice will be seen to be done - rather than having to trust things to the 'colonials'. On the other hand, based on previous Scotland Yard performances, we can obviously expect confessions to be beaten out of suspects, evidence fabricated and prime suspects to be walking the streets years later due to downright incompetence.

- Talking of the investigation, has Freddie Flintoff been interviewed yet? After all, he was caught fleeing the island on a pedalo...

- It's too late now, but why hasn't Steve Tikolo ever played County Cricket?

- On the face of it, Australia have been pretty dominant so far - but against South Africa they were only a couple of salt tablets away from losing, having posted the highest ever World Cup score.

- In the next couple of weeks England are going to have to chase a 300 plus score to stay in the competition - with a top three of Vaughan, Joyce, Bell.....