World Cup 2015

Hidden amongst the media coverage of the Ashes and the Essendon saga was an announcement about the format of the 2015 World Cup.

Fourteen teams, two groups of seven, top four in each group go on to play a knockout tournament.

Yes. A knockout tournament. Geez. What a crap shoot.

Of course, just like four years ago, we know exactly which eight teams will get to go on to the crap shoot stage. And unlike eight years go, with six group games each, a single upset is unlikely to result in any change to which eight teams progress.

So why even bother with the group stage?

They could at least have a final eight like in the AFL, which would give an advantage to the top two teams in each pool, making the group stages have at least some meaning.

Oh, and a bonus: Then we’d have nine high-revenue matches in the finals stage, rather than seven, which for a money obsessed governing body is surely the preferred position.

As it stands, I cannot respect the 2015 World Cup, or its winner as a worthy champion due to the format, and sincerely hope that the schedule for the 2014/15 season is fixed to correct this atrocity (and the other atrocity of no WACA test – why can’t we play five against India?)

Advertisement