CRICKET WORLD
CUP 2019
2019 sees the twelfth edition of the Cricket World Cup as the competition
comes to England and Wales. The tournament will run between the 30th
May and 14th July with ten teams vying for the trophy. The games will
be played across eleven different grounds; Edgbaston, Bristol County
Ground, Sophia Gardens, Riverside Ground, Headingley, Lord’s, The Oval,
Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, Rose Bowl and the County Ground.
The format of the tournament
has changed significantly since
the last competition and now
will consist of one group of ten
teams to start. All of these teams
will play against each other with
the top four sides progressing
to the semi-finals. This format is
similar to that which was used
in the 1992 tournament when
only nine rather than ten teams
took part. It will be the first ever
World Cup to be played without
all of the Test playing nations
taking part. The first match will
take place between England
and South Africa at the Oval.
England have never won the
World Cup and this competition
probably represents their best
ever chance to do so. The
2015 World Cup was a major
disappointment for the side as
they failed to make it through
the group but they have found
a winning formula since then
14
and now deservedly sit atop
the rankings after some fine
performances, particularly with
the bat.
This, coupled with the home
advantage that they will enjoy
will see the side enter the
tournament as favourites and so
long as they can deal with the
pressure that comes with that
they should be in with a great
chance.
Elsewhere, five times tournament
winners Australia should not be
overlooked and they somewhat
cruised to tournament victory
four years ago when no one
really came close to beating
them in the knockout stages.
The game in Australia has not
been without its problems since
then and victory here and then
in the Ashes against England
would go a long way towards
restoring their reputation.
India is another nation in with a
great chance of doing well here
and if they can learn from their
previous tour to England when
many of their batsmen failed to
adapt to difficult conditions then
they also should be one of the
frontrunners, particularly with
Virat Kohli leading the side.
In truth, all of the team’s in the
top Six in the rankings are in with
a realistic chance of winning
the tournament with Pakistan,
New Zealand and South Africa
all showing that if things come
together for them they have the