Cricket: This World Cup is open

An estimated 90,000 fans turned out at the MCG yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

Cricket's World Cup has had more openers than a sommelier's kitchen drawer.

The tournament was officially opened in Christchurch on Thursday with a rather awkward ceremony that resembled a primary school concert; then again in Melbourne later that night when a giant cricketer bestrode the Myer Music Bowl stage like a heavily-padded King Kong.

The opening game was back in Christchurch yesterday where New Zealand recorded the opening victory.

But the tournament's spiritual opening was surely at the MCG where Australia played England at the same venue in the first ODI 44 years ago - this time before a crowd of 90,000 which evoked, perhaps even exceeded, the glory days of one-day international cricket.

World Cup fever was as evident at the turnstiles as inside the ground where, as the first ball was bowled, fans stood 20-deep having their bags inspected for non-rights holding sandwiches. It was a stark change from recent ODIs at the MCG.

Australia played in once customary canary yellow rather than the green used in recent years but if the uniform provided a retro feel, this tournament is supposed to be all about the contemporary game. Chiefly, how muscular batsmen with big bats schooled in the dark arts of T20 can score at an astonishing rate.

Yesterday, another opener, Aaron Finch, masterfully balanced new-age ballistic batting with the need to build an innings after Australia's top order collapsed. By the time he was run out for 135, England were starting to drop their heads.

As Valentine's Day romances go, Australia and England seems as likely as Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull walking hand-in-hand through the Botanic Gardens. But the ICC have promised a crackdown on sledging during this World Cup and, if no bouquets were exchanged, the conduct was civil.

England's Stuart Broad even doffed his cap to the fans who jeered him after a misfield.

The ICC will make an estimated A$200 million from this tournament and the Indian board recently sold TV rights for internationals almost $2 billion. Who would slaughter such a prolific cash cow?

— News Corp

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