World Cup Week That Was

Debate of the week

Debate of the week

Evidence for those saying a day/night match is won at the toss by batting: West Indies (278) bt South Africa (275); Canada (180) bt Bangladesh (120); Canada (197) lost to Kenya (199); England (246) bt Pakistan (134); India (250) bt England (168); Sri Lanka (228) bt West Indies (222). 5-1 in favour, 1,379 runs against 1,118. Tomorrow, South Africa v Sri Lanka in Durban. The hosts must win or they're out.

Final over of the week

Depends if you're a batsman or a bowler. Andy Caddick's (pictured) last four balls for England against India saw the score go from 250 for 5 to 250 for 9: Kaif c Flintoff; Dravid c Collingwood; Singh run out; Srinath c Trescothick. Darren Lehmann took the Australian total on from 273 for 6 to 301 for 6, hitting four, four, four, six, four, six, a World Cup record 28 runs for an over. Namibian Rudi van Vuuren's ruined figures were 10-0-92-0.

Quote of the week

"Don't insult us every time we beat a big team." An outraged president of the Kenyan Cricket Association, Jimmy Rayani, after his country's victory over Sri Lanka prompted whispers of the match being fixed.

Standpoint of the week

The truth is out: New Zealand's players, silver medallists in a late night/early morning fracas outside a Durban nightclub, had upset locals by taking off their shirts and performing the Haka and other war dances. In fining Chris Cairns and Brendon McCullum, the NZC chief executive, Martin Snedden, said: "Behaviour by some players at the nightclub was unacceptable, and it should not be allowed to reoccur."

Brainteaser of the week

Work this out: Kenya beat Sri Lanka who beat New Zealand who beat the West Indies who beat South Africa who beat Kenya who beat Canada who beat Bangladesh who haven't beaten anyone but weren't beaten by West Indies. Confused? Not nearly as much as it did to compilers of Pool B who have been unable to find a consensus as to how things stand. We trust, however, our table on page 11 is correct.

Yawn of the week

One-day cricket a case of crash, bang, wallop? Not if you are Ishwar Maraj. The Canadian opener crawled his way to 53 in carrying his bat for 155 balls against South Africa, the most balls faced by a batsman in an innings in this year's edition. However, India's Sunil Gavaskar still holds the dubious honour of slowest of the slow: 36no off 173 balls against England in 1975.