The Group Stages of the 20/20 World Cup

So with the group stages of the Twenty/20 World Cup finishing today and the final 8 teams already decided I bring to you a tale of shocks, sixes, poor fielding and Minnows beating cricketing nations.

One of the biggest shocks came on the opening day when the Netherlands (yes they do play cricket) beat hosts England on the final ball. After a poor batting display and average bowling display Netherlands were left needing 7 off the final over bowled by Stuart Broad, and with Broady missing the stumps with an attempted run out off the final ball, the dutch scraped the 2 that they needed to win and hosts England were left humiliated.

Not long after Chris Gayle blazed 88 from just 50-odd balls to ensure that the West Indies beat Australia and with Sri Lanka also beating Australia fairly comfortably it means that the Australians are out at the first hurdle and Ricky Ponting and his men must now face 2 weeks in Leicester before the summers main event of the ashes can begin, well they do say any holiday is better than no holiday.

So attention turned to The Oval last Sunday and England needing a good win against Pakistan to ensure that they were into the final eight. Well good news straight away with Kevin Pietersen being declared fit and the England management taking the brave step of playing 2 spinners. After a good batting display which saw Luke Wright, Owais Shah and KP all make at least 30 England clawed their way to 185-5 off their 20 overs, and in reply Pakistan never got going with Stuart Broad taking 3-17 and they eventually limped to 137-7, ensuring that England were through to the super eight stage, a big relief to all concerned. Pakistan however did manage to beat The Netherlands convincingly and will join England in the final 8.

Elsewhere there was another shock in the group containg India, Bangladesh and Ireland. Bangladesh and Ireland both lost to India to ensure that the Defending Champions go through but then the sahock occurred as Ireland turned over a dismal Bangladesh side to ensure that they were the only associate side to make it through and with the big hitting O'Brien batsmen seemingly on form could they make any more shocks in the next part of the tournament?

Things ran a lot more smoothly elsewhere though as in the group between South Africa, New Zealand and Scotland the associated side lost both their games despite one of them being reduced to just 7 overs per side (a game which really could go either way). Special mention must be made here of South Africa who have looked a very good side batting, bowling and fielding and are worthy of the favourites tag that they have been given.

With the final 8 teams now decided: England, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and West Indies, there is everything to play for and in just over a week one of these teams will be crowned the World Champions of Twenty/20 Cricket (and for the record my money is on South Africa).