1 NEWS sport reporter Guy Heveldt runs the rule over day one of the Cricket World Cup.
CWC Diary – Day One
England make a statement
So, there we have it, England are the rightful Cricket World Cup favourites.
Host pressure – no problem.
Overcoming an early wicket – no problem.
Catching – c’mon, make it harder.
I couldn’t be more impressed after their dismantling of South Africa at The Oval. Under a weight of expectation, for a team that’s never won the tournament, in front of home fans predicting big things, they delivered the perfect statement to start their campaign.
Although, when Jonny Bairstow was deceived by Imran Tahir for a golden duck, there were some doubts that maybe the swashbuckling revival they’ve had since the horror show four years ago in the 2015 World Cup would crumble. Not to be.
In fact, what they showed overnight is that their depth is scary. Roy, Root, Morgan, Stokes and Buttler all making it look like a Sunday stroll around the outskirts of the Buckingham Palace grounds, each with half centuries in posting a seemingly effortless total of 311 for eight. Not a 500 total many are predicting could be reached sometime in the next six weeks, but who needs that when you roll through another tournament hopeful like South Africa and win by 107 runs?
Ben Stoke's blinder
As for Ben Stokes’ catch - well that just seems like the perfect metaphor for what England’s tournament could look like. They’ll fly high at certain times when the pressure’s on and pluck victories out of the sky in the most sensational, jaw-dropping fashion.
The much-maligned and polarising Stokes could well be a key figure for them – his man-of-the-match all-round performance with bat, ball and in the field, adding another element to their startling armour. But as for being the greatest catch of all time? I direct you to this .
No room for Blundell
The main observation from a New Zealand point-of-view? Tom Latham is back keeping to full pace bowling, and batting in the nets. But now that of course makes the conundrum of whether to pick him or go with an in-form Tom Blundell instead. It’s a no-brainer.
Sorry Tom B, but Tom L slots straight back in. In your first game of the tournament, when you need to make a statement and get off to a winning start, you need your best team on the park. Although, do the selectors actually know what their best team is? From the outside in it seems there’s still some conjecture, but I’m prepared to give them a chance.
Bold Call: Aussies will go all the way
Since it’s the first entry to this daily diary, I better make my prediction. I think Australia will go back-to-back. It pains me to write that. But Smith and Warner have points to prove and there’s nothing worse than an Australian sportsperson with a point to prove.
I think those two, Smith particularly, will be front and centre of Australia’s run to the big dance at Lord’s in the middle of July. Yea, there are some slight questions around Australia’s bowling attack, but Starc, Stoinis and Lyon provide enough for me to think they’ll be able to give this tournament a considerable and uncomfortable shake.
They’ll play England in the final, with India and New Zealand rounding out the top four. I can’t wait to be proven wrong for the 10 billionth time, but there we go.
Bring on six weeks of little sleep, a lot of hot takes on Twitter and, hopefully, a strong campaign from the Black Caps. That’s day one done and dusted. Go and get some sleep.
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