Specious Talks? On this year's Cricket World Cup.

Not so 'flat' after all!!

We are into the second week of the 2019 Cricket World Cup and if early signs are anything to go by, this isn't half what it was purported to be. Before the World Cup began, we were made to believe that this World Cup would see a slew of large scores never witnessed before. We were shown the number of times England easily crossed the 300 barrier and their bowling still struggling to defend those scores. If anything, this has been a bowler's tournament so far. With the average scores being round about 250-260 and pitches assisting the spinners so far, this World Cup promises to be a low scoring affair. Not that it's anything bad for the game ( unless you're only a fan of the Bat smacking the leather ). As we slowly get towards the big India Vs Australia game this weekend, let's look at some of the things that have worked for teams till now.

1. Making the new ball count

Every good bowling performance this year has included a fiery spell upfront. Be it Bumrah, Rabada or the mighty Mitchell Starc, they have all made the new ball talk. Taking wickets early on is the key. There are no two ways about it. Take two or more wickets in the first 10 overs and you make sure your spinners have an easier job to do. Starc's spell against Gayle was an absolute thriller to watch. He made the ball go both ways, troubled him with the bouncers and the surprise yorkers. At that pace, when your feet is not moving early on, it can be very difficult to judge the movement of the ball relying on the hand-eye coordination alone. With a little bit of spice in the wicket , we all saw Bumrah rip through Amla and De Kock in no time. Rabada was unplayable with the steep bounce he generated against Dhawan and Rohit. The common thing in all these instances was the presence of a bowler who could exploit these ripe conditions to his maximum advantage.

2. Sustaining the pressure in the middle overs

Every good start requires bowlers who can back it up with good control and accuracy. A clear plan is needed to make sure that the good work uptill now is not undone in a few losse overs. This is where I feel India have the biggest weapons. In Kulcha (as Kuldeep and Chahal are often called) they have the most potent spin duo capable of taking wickets at regular intervals, thereby, ensuring that the opposition is always facing relentless pressure. In Kedar and Hardik, they have two bowlers who can at will bowl 10 overs. Kedar's lower round arm trajectory is an added bonus. In the pursuit of targeting him, people end up losing their wickets. All of these factors combined together make the Indian Team the best bowling attack in this competition.

3. Reverse Swing is still the King!

Bowlers who can make the ball reverse at the death with optimal precision are the ones who will be the most successful in this World Cup. For me , Starc should lead this race just like the 2015 World Cup. He's already shown us a great spectacle of Death Bowling in the group match against the Windies. Picking up 3 wickets in his last two overs, he displayed a wide range of skills in executing those Yorkers, Bouncers and slower balls. Bumrah is close but what makes Starc effective is the left arm angle coupled with the speed at which he reverses the ball. For someone as quick as him, his 'you miss, I hit' accuracy is baffling to say the least. He's always a threat to any opposition. And they better watch out because this man can run through the order alone!

As this World Cup progresses, I hope we can watch more of this even contest between Bat and Ball. After all, is there a better sight than a tall sturdy fast bowler bullying the opposition with Pace and Bounce? Being an ardent fan of fast bowling , I hope this tryst between the Bat and Ball continues till the epilogue reveals itself :)