four years on, nothing changes

Australia celebrate glory in 2003.

By Dave Tickner

Another World Cup, and another bloated fixture list from the ICC.

Four years ago in Southern Africa, 14 teams played out 54 matches (although two were forfeited) over what seemed like eight months to discover that - gasp - Australia were the best one-day team around.

It was widely acknowledged to be the worst World Cup ever staged, and the ICC's response has been swift and impressive; 16 teams playing 51 matches. Over a period of what seems like eight months.

At least the minnows only have three games rather than six to humiliate themselves, and the expanded Super Eight stage should at least see the eight genuine contenders battle it out for the semi-final spots.

And if the stadiums are ready, there doesn't seem any immediate prospect of teams refusing to play this time around.

But, barring major shocks, only four of the first 24 matches in the tournament will have any bearing on the latter stages, rendering much of the first two weeks irrelevant.

Of the lesser nations, Kenya will once again be the most confident of springing a surprise. The 2003 semi-finalists should brush aside Canada in Group C and will fancy their chances of shocking either New Zealand or England, neither of whom are invincible. Likewise Zimbabwe might have hope of meeting the brilliant-but-unpredictable Pakistan or West Indies on one of their less-focused days.

Scotland are the only other affiliate side with anything like the necessary firepower to make any lasting impression on the tournament, but their chances have been ended by being drawn alongside the two best ODI teams around - Australia and South Africa.

But what of Scotland's arrogant neighbours to the south?

Written off two weeks ago, their astonishing run from 200-1 outsiders in a three-horse race to CB Series champions sees England being once again talked about as serious challengers.

So typical of England. Had they continued on their seemingly inevitable path to a shambolic early exit from the one-day jolly round Oz, anything other than first-stage elimination would have been an acceptable return at the World Cup.

Now expectations have been raised that England could launch their first meaningful World Cup campaign since 1992.

And the selectors seem to have got most things right in the squad. Michael Vaughan's Brearleyesque value to the cause cannot be underestimated and he had to go as captain whatever the concerns over the state of his legs or his one-day record.

Mal Loye's omission has upset many, but in truth he was exposed as a desperately limited batsman at the highest level. He may well have smashed Kenya and Canada all around the small Beausejour Cricket Ground, but would have done little in the meaningful games.

Anyway, he's sure to get a call-up at some stage - there's no way the England squad will stay injury-free over the next month, and the unorthodox Lancashire opener is firmly at the head of the queue of replacements.

Ravi Bopara has taken Loye's place, and could prove a hugely significant addition. With only 15 players and potentially 13 games, someone who can bat anywhere between one and seven, field brilliantly and remove the world's top-ranked ODI batsman in his first spell deserves a place. England's only mistake was not making more use of the Essex all-rounder in Australia.

Ostensibly back-up to Paul Collingwood, he could yet displace the likes of Andrew Strauss or Ed Joyce in the starting XI.

While Bopara's superior ability rightly got him the nod over Loye, the selectors' collective blind spot over wicketkeepers remains.

Chris Read is younger, a better batsman and an infinitely better wicketkeeper than Paul Nixon.

But he falls well short of Nico in the swearing and irritant stakes.

So the likeable but limited Nixon gets the gig, while Read is once again left shaking his head as he sets off for an extensive session with the academy's sledging coach.

As far as the seam bowlers are concerned, choice was painfully limited. When fit, James Anderson, Jon Lewis and Liam Plunkett have done enough to earn their place in the squad alongside Andrew Flintoff. Saj Mahmood gets the final spot by virtue of being less woeful than Chris Tremlett.

Offspinning all-rounder Jamie Dalrymple was a certainty, while Monty Panesar continues to learn and improve in the shortened game. Both could have key roles on slow, unresponsive Caribbean wickets, especially if England reach the latter stages.

And they should. Victory may be still a distant dream/deranged fantasy, but a semi-final spot could be within Vaughan's compass.