Farcical end for tournament of sad farewells

Many things have been said about this World Cup, with the complimentary ones in the minority. Perhaps a fairer judgement is that it was a tournament of unsatisfactory goodbyes: before it all began (what seems a very long time ago) one of the selling points was that it presented the last chance to see the greats of the modern game bestride the world stage. That it did, but not as we would have wished; Sachin Tendulkar, so often king of World Cup cricket, departed before it all got going; Brian Lara, the greatest batsman of his day and a genuine great, got the reception he deserved but not the final act, run out at the non-striker's end. Inzamam left the field in tears, and, tragically, one of the greatest coaches was lost to the world forever.

In the same fashion, a truncated final, concluded with the sort of farcical situation only cricket can contrive, was not a proper end to a World Cup, although those more cynical might reflect that it was one fitting for the tournament we had. Once again, the ingredients were there, in the form of one special innings, setting up a run-chase which was simmering nicely until the rain clouds rolled in.

Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara had played their hands beautifully after the early loss of Tharanga and at 123-1, the game looked set for a close finish. Not so. For the rain, which had earlier resulted in the first final to be of less than 50 overs, threatened again. Sri Lanka, although going well, were slightly behind the D/L rate, and were forced to charge early to avoid losing the game thanks to the impending rain. Ponting, a far improved captain since Michael Vaughan embarrassed him in 2005, cleverly tossed the ball to one of his part-timers, Michael Clarke, giving the batsmen license to have a dip. His hands tied, Jayasuriya attempted a shot he rarely plays, dancing down the wicket, and he duly played the price, his wicket sending the D/L par score spiralling away from Sri Lanka, and effectively ending the game.

It is a minor quibble, and one for once not caused by tournament organisers, but it was disappointing that Jayasuriya was not allowed to play the chase his way. It is still likely that Australia would have won, but a close finish may well have been in order. As it was, the only thing that the climax was close to was total darkness, as the umpires and match referee ignored the rule that the game was over after 20 overs of the Sri Lankan innings, and that there was no point or need to have the tournament concluded with three meaningless overs bowled by the Australian spinners to the Sri Lankan tail-enders (a spectacle endured to avoid having to return the next day).

While the final itself was an indeterminate affair, what is indisputable is that Australia were worthy winners. At no point did any team come close to matching them and it would have been a travesty if another team had walked off with the prize. When you consider that the winning XI was the guts of a side that had endured a long winter, with an Ashes series followed by an interminable run of ODI cricket, their freshness was extraordinary. England, who had suffered the same winter, looked tired and beaten as soon as they reached the Caribbean; not Australia, who belied their worst run of form in many a year, the loss of their No.1 ranking and No.1 strike bowler and the suspicions that it was a tournament too far for some and a tournament too soon for others, to dominate in a way even they have never achieved. Loath as I am to accept Glenn McGrath's analysis, his comment that they have improved in every World Cup since 1996 cannot be argued with. A final in '96 was followed by victory in '99, an undefeated tournament in '03 and a run in '07 where no-one came close to defeating them.

Many thought before the World Cup that this would be the point at which Australia's hegemony in one-day cricket would end. They pointed to their poor form, the strength of others and the structure of a tournament which should have required them to play each of the other top sides. McGrath takes his leave from international cricket a fulfilled man, his one of the few happy endings. There will be no more McGrath, no more Warne; on the evidence of the World Cup just gone, there will be more Australian dominance.