I’ve believed for a while that world cricket today isn’t as strong as it was in the 1980s when the West Indies and Pakistan both had powerful sides.
The reintroduction of South Africa gave a false impression of reinvigoration when in fact most world teams were in decline.
I just came across this interesting forum post, made in 2003:
Cricket as a game is on decline all over the world except India and Australia. The standards have fallen in every country and the sad spectacle was on display in this world cup (2003).
I don’t think much has changed since that comment was made.
Cricket is strong in Australia and India. It’s superficially strong in England, but realistically it’s a minority sport there compared with soccer and rugby, which are increasingly played year round.
Cricket seems to have declined in Pakistan and it’s arguably dying in the West Indies. It has virtually been killed off in Zimbabwe. South Africa is struggling amid racial disputes; Bangladesh was promoted ahead of its time.
Kenya and Uganda are the only countries with the potential to introduce new talent. Forget Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. They have some competent players but the game in those countries will never be huge. Bermuda shouldn’t have been at the 2007 World Cup. In Canada and the United States the game will only ever be played by expatriates.
Australia has become the world bully. Apart from India in India, no other country really threatens our dominance. It could get boring.
These articles might be of interest:
Cricket’s popularity remains unchanged here.
I guess that’s no popularity at all, or is there an expatriate Indian community that plays the game?
Cricket’ s fairly popular in England, way behind football as ever, but not in any sense behind rugby – union or league.