The Surfer

If you want to be like Australia, you can't run your cricket like Zimbabwe. The BCCI must adopt, may be, a 10-year plan, spelling out the aims and objectives and go about attaining those goals in a professional manner. Any half-measures or cosmetic changes at this stage would be like putting band-aid on cancer.

"It was not the biggest reverse-sweep six I have hit," said Nixon. "I hit Monty Panesar for a bigger one last year. I have probably hit 20 in my career now. I've had a bit of banter with KP (Pietersen, who has reverse-swept Murali for six). He told me that was one each. I said no, it's now about 20-1, but I suppose in proper cricket it is one each."

This tournament was never going to be about massive, seething crowds. It was always going to be about colour and energy; about spirit and fun and the beauty of a game. If visiting fans haven't been plentiful or adventurous enough to seize that opportunity that's their fault. The Caribbean deserves this tournament more than any other cricketing region; the near-crime is that they hadn't been invited to host it earlier.

"We've discussed it already and we have an idea of the way we are going to go because it is an area of concern," Vaughan said. “We haven't been firing at the top of the order and we have been putting batsmen under pressure. But there have been stages when we have been getting to good positions as well and not going on."

"Walking down the road, a lot of the Rastas will give you the peace sign. I don't know what they are talking about, but they sort of give you the nod or they want to bang fists. They don't actually know where I come from until I open my mouth.”

The real story of India’s World Cup disaster does not begin with that initial fumble against Bangladesh, or the embarrassing surrender to Sri Lanka. By the time India reached the West Indies on March 1, the wheels had already come loose, threatening to fall off any time.

While Brad Hodge is favoured to replace Watson for Sunday's Super Eights game against England, the decision to dispatch Hopes to the nets in Brisbane revealed much about the attachment to a fourth seam-bowling option and the unease about unbalancing the team.

There are immediate issues to be decided. The coach, the captain and therefore, the future of many senior players. There are reports to be discussed and the perpetrators of leaks have to be identified and put on television as villains. And someone has to ask: why are the nine players, including, presumably, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, so worked up? What does an admirable person like Rahul Dravid has to say? And most important; even if the manner of delivery of the coach’s message was unpalatable, was the message wrong?

The Australian fast bowler has flown to India with his manager, Neil Maxwell, to meet sponsors and negotiate a recording contract. Maxwell envisages that the contract will be finalised within two months.

What if your guide dog is a St Bernard with one of those kegs of booze round his neck?