Wanted: a hundred
Nobody has made an individual hundred in this World Cup, or even a 90 – the joint top scorers are Ben Stokes and David Warner with 89. Only Warner has faced a hundred balls (114), and only Dimush Karunaratne has lasted longer than 132 minutes (146). It’s a similar story in the bowling, where only Oshane Thomas has taken four wickets. None of this matters very much – it’s a team game and you can win a match with a quick 70 or lose it with a slow ton. But every so often it’s a thrill to see one player put a great big stamp on a game. Cometh the hour, cometh the Roy?
Preamble
It’s coming home? No, no way (© Nasser), you cannot say that yet. What can be said with confidence is this: it’s warming up.
On day one, we had a good game and a great moment – a fine example of the right man being in the wrong place at the right time. On days two and three, not much to write home about, but on day four, a classic upset: David, sent in by Goliath, rattled up the highest score of the tournament and then bowled well enough not to blow it. Thank you Bangladesh, for delivering the first memorable result of this World Cup. And thank you South Africa, for showing, twice, that it’s perfectly possible to win the toss and lose the match.
Today we have England playing Pakistan, for only the sixth time in the past month. The score stands at 4-0. It would be a drag if it wasn’t the World Cup. And if it wasn’t Trent Bridge, where England made 481 last year against Australia and Pakistan were bombed out for 105 by West Indies three days ago. All things considered, Pakistan look certain to win.
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