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IT ENDED in confusion, farce and almost total darkness. With the scoreboard twinkling “Congrats Australia,” the groundsmen clearing up and the presentation podium being wheeled out after bad light had stopped play, the umpires decided three more overs were needed, even though Sri Lanka had no chance of victory.

So we peered into the gloom and watched as the teams went through a charade of pat-a-cake cricket in dangerous conditions and a miserable World Cup had the shambolic ending it deserved.

Don’t get me wrong. Ricky Ponting and his athletic fielders, fine bowlers and belligerent batsmen are, by some distance, the most talented bunch of cricketers currently on the planet and fully merit the accolades after sweeping all before them, including Sri Lanka in a final which witnessed one of one-day cricket’s greatest innings from Adam Gilchrist.

But World Cups are supposed to quicken the pulse. This 47-day competition trudged from island to island, full of meaningless matches and incompetent organisation.

Exorbitant ticket prices, empty seats and the utter stupidity of local organising committees forbidding music inside the grounds without written permission got the tournament off to a bad start. That decision was eventually overturned, but not until it had set the tone. No atmosphere, no life, precious little joy.

Even the organisers have conceded that it was ten days too long and that assessment was probably ten days from the truth.

True, the departure of India and Pakistan before the Super Eight phase did not help, especially when coupled with the timid surrender of one of the worst West Indies sides of all time.

And, inevitably, the tournament forever will be tainted by the mysterious death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer.

While it never quite recovered, England chugged along with it, spluttering against opposition they should have beaten easily and being beaten soundly by anyone half-decent.

True, England did record victories against the might of Canada, Kenya, Ireland, Bangladesh and in a last “dead” fixture against West Indies. But they lost to New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Australia and South Africa.

Actually, that South Africa match did not culminate so much in defeat as humiliation, with the boos of the Barmy Army ringing in the ears of Michael Vaughan and company.

What an ignominious hat-trick that recorded coming so soon after England’s football and rugby players had suffered similar abuse from their supporters.

Vaughan, who has not scored one century in six years of one-day internationals, proved himself to be singularly unsuited to the demands of the one-day game. Andrew Flintoff’s batting was abject and there must be some correlation with his late-night revelling, the infamous pedalo incident handing a convenient stick to the critics.

The England top order lacked authority and so did England coach Duncan Fletcher, who paid the price for their embarrassing exit with his job.

The brightest shaft of light was Ireland’s remarkable victory against Pakistan, yet even that was robbed of its lustre by the Woolmer affair. Bangladesh had their moments, so did Herschelle Gibbs in hitting six sixes off one over.

But in the end it was no surprise when Australia - with the brilliant Ponting, Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Glenn McGrath - took the sport’s most prestigious one-day prize.

And how appropriate that their latest retiree, McGrath, should cap a fabulous career with the player of the tournament award. Australia deserved their trophy. No doubts.

As for the organisers of this tournament, the International Cricket Council, they deserve our contempt.
TEN WAYS TO IMPROVE WORLD CUP

1 DURATION

The one just finished began in mid-March and was way too long.

2 FORMAT

The Super Eights is a formula for meaningless matches. The cup has to become knockout before the semis.

3 LOCATION

Yes, the West Indies is a hotbed of cricket, but it’s also too small and too dispersed.

4 TICKET PRICES

Ludicrously high this year, causing banks of empty seats. Easy to rectify.

5 KNOW THE RULES

The mix-up in the last few overs of the final was an embarrassment which must be avoided in future.

6 HELP ASSOCIATES DEVELOP

With the admirable exception of Ireland, the associates were little more than makeweights. The ICC must bring the standard up.

7 ALLOW MUSIC

The banning of instruments at some grounds was another factor which detracted from a good atmosphere.

8 STADIUMS

Avoid building brand-new soulless ones, and stick to the venues which the locals know and love.

9 GET A GOOD MASCOT

Did this World Cup have one? If so, it was invisible. A good mascot means kids want to watch on TV.

10 CASH IN ON THE EFFIGY MARKET

If all else fails, the ICC could make money by selling effigies of key players to be burnt by incandescent fans after their country’s early exit.

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