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A fantastic Cricket World Cup has now come to an end with hosts Australia winning the coveted prize after dismantling co-host New Zealand in the final at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Australians, who had earlier lost to New Zealand in the tournament, won on the back of an outstanding bowling performance.
In New Zealand, the tournament was a huge success and the Black Caps received overwhelming support as the surged through to their first World Cup final only to come unstuck at the last hurdle against a clinical Australia.
Of course, there has been a fair bit of post mortem analysis done on the New Zealand performance and events during the match, such as should Brendon McCullum have been more circumspect in his batting approach or what if the Steve Smith’s ‘Zing’ bails had come off?
I have dwelled on such hypotheticals since and have learnt that such thoughts are only interesting if your team is the winning team, an empathy many South African fans would share with me after their team’s agonising defeat in the semi last week.
One hypothetical I can’t stop rattling around in my head was why didn’t we bowl first? All well and good in hindsight admittedly, but when I consider our best performances in this World Cup were from bowling first the question becomes valid.
It is pointless I know, and most likely would not have produced a different result – but I do wonder.
What I believe is vitally important for the Black Caps after this World Cup final is to learn the lessons from it in order to be prepared for the future and the next opportunity.
The intensity the Australians showed in the field, the onslaught the bowlers brought making the New Zealanders play and not allowing them to settle – they were the reasons why the Aussies have the Cup right now. The patience in the field during Ross Taylor’s and Grant Elliott’s partnership, the killer attitude to attack the new batsmen’s stumps, continually making them play the ball, no nice settlers, keeping the waiting batsmen on their toes. They are the reasons the Aussies have the Cup right now.
The application of the Australian batsmen, sure, a small total to chase but done without risk and composure after losing an early wicket, and most importantly, handling the big occasion and building up through a tournament to ensure the best performances are exhibited at the pointy end.
This team has the youth, belief and attitude to take it all on board and learn these lessons.
A few commentators have suggested that Australia took a lot more out of their loss to the Black Caps than New Zealand did from winning, and I think that has been proven correct.
Now it is our turn to learn.
There have been a few forlorn statements suggesting we simply can’t foot it with the Australians, we don’t have the same depth of talent and a World Cup final should be our accepted pinnacle.
Bollocks to that I reckon.
Well, perhaps my rose tinted glasses are leading me down the garden path but I simply don’t accept that. We don’t have the numbers that Australia do but we can work with what we have. Trent Boult’s and Grant Elliott’s performances, two players whom many thought would not have made the squad pre World Cup, suggest to me that if the hunger is there, the ability is too.
There will be plenty of hunger now in New Zealand cricket circles and that needs to be harnessed as we look to the future and continue to develop and with a number of young up and comers, such as the Jacob Duffys and the improving Mitchell Santners. I am pretty sure that if there is another Boult floating around – there is plenty to be positive about.
With a helpful resource like the New Zealand rugby union around the corner, there are plenty of avenues to explore and examples to be had of how to maximise the available talent from a smaller pond. With our recent results our best should be (hopefully) provided with more regular opportunities to test ourselves against the front runners and measure that progress.
My crystal ball is as good as the next man’s but the potential is exciting to me, and I for one have faith that it will be realised and look forward to backing the Black Caps for a long time to come.
It is bitter now, but this final might just prove to be the best thing to happen to us and could be looked upon in time as a defining moment in our cricketing history.
Well done Australia, an excellent team you have there and topped off with an outstanding campaign. Enjoy the next four years but don’t get too comfy as we are coming for you. In four years’ time, in English conditions with our attack, well, don’t get too thirsty as the lessons have now been learned and will be implemented.
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