#CricketWorldCupdates - Watch out for... No. 5: ...The Unexpected

Rain on their parade! The rain rule thwarts the South African challenge in 1992

The World Cup should be the pinnacle of one-day cricket, with the best players on show, fighting for the biggest trophy in the sport. Unfortunately the high-quality cricket often gets overshadowed by any number of bizarre off-field events.

For example, in 1992 the pre Duckworth-Lewis “most productive overs” method of calculating rain-affected results left South Africa needing 22 off the final ball to reach the final. However hard you run, it’s unlikely you’ll turn a single into a 22...

In 2003 the controversy started in the build up to the tournament with the question mark over playing matches in, and against, Zimbabwe. Attention was particularly focused on England, and they eventually chose to boycott the fixture. Zimbabwe players Henry Olonga and Andy Flower went on to stage their own protests against the Mugabe regime. Shane Warne failed a drugs test in the build up to Australia’s first game, meaning that the hero of the 1999 final was sent home without bowling a ball.

The 2007 tournament was also plagued with criticism long before the first ball was delivered. The way the ICC commercialised every aspect of the tournament and high ticket prices came under the heaviest fire, and the standard and readiness of facilities were also questioned.

Andrew Flintoff made headlines for getting drunk and capsizing a pedalo after one of England’s matches, and the tournament will also be remembered for the sad, and mysterious, death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer. 

2011 was relatively controversy free, given that part of the schedule had to be rearranged due to Pakistan’s ban on hosting international matches, but it didn’t escape entirely. During England’s tie with India, Ian Bell survived a DRS referral on the grounds that he was more than 2.5 metres away from the stumps, much to MS Dhoni’s dismay. As we know, the Indians aren’t the biggest supporters of technology in cricket anyway.

The ICC and host nations in particular will be hoping that the 2015 tournament passes by without criticism and controversy, and that the tournament is remembered for what happens on the field: but history suggests that might be hoping for too much.