Big billing, small deeds
Players who didn't live up to their reputations in the World Cup
Andrew McGlashan
03-Feb-2011
Nathan Astle gets cleaned up by Shoaib Akhtar in 1999 • AFP
MS Dhoni
29 runs at 9.66 in 2007
India were dumped out of the 2007 World Cup in the first round, after defeats against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, so no one could be proud of the effort. For Dhoni, though, it was a particularly depressing tournament as he collected ducks in India's two defeats, the second a first-baller against Muttiah Muralitharan. All his 29 runs came in one innings against Bermuda, where India amassed 413 for 5.
29 runs at 9.66 in 2007
India were dumped out of the 2007 World Cup in the first round, after defeats against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, so no one could be proud of the effort. For Dhoni, though, it was a particularly depressing tournament as he collected ducks in India's two defeats, the second a first-baller against Muttiah Muralitharan. All his 29 runs came in one innings against Bermuda, where India amassed 413 for 5.
Andrew Flintoff
92 runs at 13.14 in 2007
Flintoff - and England - came into the World Cup after a 5-0 Ashes whitewash but boosted by winning the CB Series. It provided false hope. Although no longer shackled with the captaincy Flintoff had plenty of issues, and not just a lack of runs. The biggest headline he made during the tournament was falling off a pedalo in St Lucia after a night out, being suspended for a match, stripped of the vice-captaincy and left to apologise during a press conference where the coach, Duncan Fletcher, just looked on. His bowling was solid, but then it always was with Flintoff, but he made just one useful score - 43 against Ireland. After the tournament he would only play another 18 ODIs.
92 runs at 13.14 in 2007
Flintoff - and England - came into the World Cup after a 5-0 Ashes whitewash but boosted by winning the CB Series. It provided false hope. Although no longer shackled with the captaincy Flintoff had plenty of issues, and not just a lack of runs. The biggest headline he made during the tournament was falling off a pedalo in St Lucia after a night out, being suspended for a match, stripped of the vice-captaincy and left to apologise during a press conference where the coach, Duncan Fletcher, just looked on. His bowling was solid, but then it always was with Flintoff, but he made just one useful score - 43 against Ireland. After the tournament he would only play another 18 ODIs.
Inzamam-ul-Haq
19 runs at 3.16 in 2003
The 2003 tournament was a tough one for Inzamam, who struggled on the bouncy South Africa pitches. He was the lynchpin of Pakistan's middle, so his failures heaped a lot of pressure on his team-mates, who didn't respond regularly. Inzamam's tournament began in bad style when he was caught behind for 6 against Australia, and he was also a victim of James Anderson during his devastating spell under the Cape Town floodlights. However, the real sign of Inzamam's struggles was that he couldn't even cash in against the minnows: he made 4 and 0 against Namibia and Netherlands
19 runs at 3.16 in 2003
The 2003 tournament was a tough one for Inzamam, who struggled on the bouncy South Africa pitches. He was the lynchpin of Pakistan's middle, so his failures heaped a lot of pressure on his team-mates, who didn't respond regularly. Inzamam's tournament began in bad style when he was caught behind for 6 against Australia, and he was also a victim of James Anderson during his devastating spell under the Cape Town floodlights. However, the real sign of Inzamam's struggles was that he couldn't even cash in against the minnows: he made 4 and 0 against Namibia and Netherlands
Allan Donald
1 wicket at 133 in 2003
A sad way for a fantastic career to finish. Donald had already started to lose the venom that had made him such a threat, but the prospect of a home World Cup was too good to miss. He went wicketless in the opening-match defeat against West Indies and was then hammered for nearly 10 an over by New Zealand in another loss. In that match he also picked up an injury that kept him out of action until South Africa faced Canada. Against the minnows he bowled 10 economical overs, but it was to prove his final appearance. He wasn't selected to face Sri Lanka, where South Africa infamously misread the Duckworth-Lewis chart, to send themselves crashing out.
1 wicket at 133 in 2003
A sad way for a fantastic career to finish. Donald had already started to lose the venom that had made him such a threat, but the prospect of a home World Cup was too good to miss. He went wicketless in the opening-match defeat against West Indies and was then hammered for nearly 10 an over by New Zealand in another loss. In that match he also picked up an injury that kept him out of action until South Africa faced Canada. Against the minnows he bowled 10 economical overs, but it was to prove his final appearance. He wasn't selected to face Sri Lanka, where South Africa infamously misread the Duckworth-Lewis chart, to send themselves crashing out.
Daniel Vettori
2 wickets at 129.50 in 2003
South Africa has historically been quite a tough place for spinners to shine in because the country's strength is pace bowling. Vettori found this out to his cost in 2003, when he had a barren run despite being one of the world's premier one-day bowlers. His two scalps were decent names - Ramnaresh Sarwan and Jacques Kallis - but New Zealand needed him to be more than a holding option in their attack, and he wasn't.
2 wickets at 129.50 in 2003
South Africa has historically been quite a tough place for spinners to shine in because the country's strength is pace bowling. Vettori found this out to his cost in 2003, when he had a barren run despite being one of the world's premier one-day bowlers. His two scalps were decent names - Ramnaresh Sarwan and Jacques Kallis - but New Zealand needed him to be more than a holding option in their attack, and he wasn't.
Mahela Jayawardene
21 runs at 3 in 2003
Subcontinental batsmen have often struggled to adapt to fast and bouncy pitches overseas but it was still a surprise to see Jayawardene struggle so badly in South Africa. He arrived at the World Cup following some promising innings in Australia in the triangular tournament, then fell for 1 against New Zealand. He missed the chance to bat against Bangladesh and Canada because Sri Lanka won so convincingly against them, so when the tough challenges came he had had little time in the middle. His top score was 9 against West Indies, and he collected ducks against Australia and India. By the semi-final, against Australia, he was batting at No. 7 and made just 5.
21 runs at 3 in 2003
Subcontinental batsmen have often struggled to adapt to fast and bouncy pitches overseas but it was still a surprise to see Jayawardene struggle so badly in South Africa. He arrived at the World Cup following some promising innings in Australia in the triangular tournament, then fell for 1 against New Zealand. He missed the chance to bat against Bangladesh and Canada because Sri Lanka won so convincingly against them, so when the tough challenges came he had had little time in the middle. His top score was 9 against West Indies, and he collected ducks against Australia and India. By the semi-final, against Australia, he was batting at No. 7 and made just 5.
Nathan Astle
79 runs at 8.77 in 1999
Astle's World Cup career had begun in fine style three years previously, with 101 against England in Ahmedabad, but it was soon downhill. He didn't get to double figures again in that edition, and 1999 was another a struggle. It was tough for opening batsmen in English conditions but Astle was sometimes the victim of his attacking instincts. It took him five innings to breach 10 and his top score was 26 against India at Trent Bridge. However, he did have some excuse in the semi-final against Pakistan, when he fell to Shoaib Akhtar's blistering pace.
79 runs at 8.77 in 1999
Astle's World Cup career had begun in fine style three years previously, with 101 against England in Ahmedabad, but it was soon downhill. He didn't get to double figures again in that edition, and 1999 was another a struggle. It was tough for opening batsmen in English conditions but Astle was sometimes the victim of his attacking instincts. It took him five innings to breach 10 and his top score was 26 against India at Trent Bridge. However, he did have some excuse in the semi-final against Pakistan, when he fell to Shoaib Akhtar's blistering pace.
Aravinda de Silva
73 runs at 14.60 in 1999
It was always going to be difficult for Sri Lanka to defend their 1996 title in England. Conditions weren't conducive to their flamboyant style of batting or their spin-dominated attack. If they were to have a chance de Silva, with his county experience, needed to have a successful event, but he began with a duck against England at Lord's. Two more single-figure scores followed and it wasn't until a batting paradise at Taunton that he made a half-century. India, though, had already got to 373 and it was too late to save Sri Lanka's tournament.
73 runs at 14.60 in 1999
It was always going to be difficult for Sri Lanka to defend their 1996 title in England. Conditions weren't conducive to their flamboyant style of batting or their spin-dominated attack. If they were to have a chance de Silva, with his county experience, needed to have a successful event, but he began with a duck against England at Lord's. Two more single-figure scores followed and it wasn't until a batting paradise at Taunton that he made a half-century. India, though, had already got to 373 and it was too late to save Sri Lanka's tournament.
Keith Arthurton
2 runs at 0.40 in 1996
Arthurton was never one of the elite West Indian batsmen in the mould of Richardson, Lara, Adams or a young Chanderpaul, but he was a solid and useful performer. His one-day game was also helped by his superb fielding and handy left-arm spin, and it was a good job he had those other skills in 1996 because he couldn't buy a run. His tournament scores of 1, 0, 0, 1, 0 read like binary code, and his final duck came during West Indies' semi-final collapse against Australia, where they lost eight wickets for 37 to throw away the match.
2 runs at 0.40 in 1996
Arthurton was never one of the elite West Indian batsmen in the mould of Richardson, Lara, Adams or a young Chanderpaul, but he was a solid and useful performer. His one-day game was also helped by his superb fielding and handy left-arm spin, and it was a good job he had those other skills in 1996 because he couldn't buy a run. His tournament scores of 1, 0, 0, 1, 0 read like binary code, and his final duck came during West Indies' semi-final collapse against Australia, where they lost eight wickets for 37 to throw away the match.
Allan Border
60 runs at 8.57 in 1992
Border was as tough as they come, and by 1992 he was well on the way to lifting Australia out of their 1980s mire, having helped them win the previous World Cup. However, they didn't fare well at their own tournament and Border's poor form played a key part in the side's failure. An opening-game defeat against Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand set a bad tone; Border made just 3. Three matches later he was bowled by Ian Botham for 16, in what proved to be Botham's final match-winning display on the international stage. This, though, was the last tournament where Australia didn't make their mark.
60 runs at 8.57 in 1992
Border was as tough as they come, and by 1992 he was well on the way to lifting Australia out of their 1980s mire, having helped them win the previous World Cup. However, they didn't fare well at their own tournament and Border's poor form played a key part in the side's failure. An opening-game defeat against Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand set a bad tone; Border made just 3. Three matches later he was bowled by Ian Botham for 16, in what proved to be Botham's final match-winning display on the international stage. This, though, was the last tournament where Australia didn't make their mark.
Tony Greig
29 runs at 7.25 in 1975
Greig would go on to be one of the key figures behind the scenes in World Series Cricket, but his own one-day international record - particularly batting - was nothing special. The game was still very new for the inaugural 1975 World Cup, but after his success at Test and county level, there was an expectation that Greig would be a success. It didn't turn out that way: he had scores of 4, 9, 9 and 7 during the tournament. The last of those innings came in Gary Gilmour's match-winning spell in the semi-final at Headingley.
29 runs at 7.25 in 1975
Greig would go on to be one of the key figures behind the scenes in World Series Cricket, but his own one-day international record - particularly batting - was nothing special. The game was still very new for the inaugural 1975 World Cup, but after his success at Test and county level, there was an expectation that Greig would be a success. It didn't turn out that way: he had scores of 4, 9, 9 and 7 during the tournament. The last of those innings came in Gary Gilmour's match-winning spell in the semi-final at Headingley.
Andrew McGlashan is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo