Just when the World Cup was beginning to look a bit tedious, we have been treated to a few wonderful games with the occasional surprise hurled in from around deep square leg.
Pakistan are now the only teams playing at least three matches who have a 100% record, but they have had to work for it. Last weekend they upset Sri Lanka with an 11-run victory, followed on Thursday by a batting wobble against Canada which was rescued by another great performance by Shahid Afridi. Normally the man to watch with the bat, it has been the captain's clever mix of spin, pace and flight with the ball which has bamboozled the opposition. The only 'boom-boom' has come from the sound of the stump microphone being clunked as another batsman misreads Afridi's line in the search for late-order runs. Nine wickets for 57 in twenty overs is a fabulous return for the Pakistan skipper. Only Australia now pose a major threat to his challenge for top place in Group A.
Sunday witnessed one of the most exciting matches in World Cup history, that record high-scoring tie involving co-hosts India and England. Superb innings from Strauss and Tendulkar, great bowling from Zaheer Khan and drama right to the very last ball. That result should have raised England's confidence but then they blow it all against lowly Ireland. Once Kevin O'Brien started to batter the attack with more gusto than a fryer in a Scottish chipshop, panic set into the English, not for the first time in recent history. Given that Ireland also came close to matching Bangladesh in the first week, Will Porterfield's men are putting themselves in with a shout of making the quarter-finals. I can't see them beating South Africa or India but if they catch the West Indies on a bad day, who knows?
It was a shame that today's showdown between the Aussies and Sri Lankans was curtailed by the rain. Malinga's six-wicket haul against Kenya put Sri Lanka back on track and could have posed Watson, Haddin et al a lot of problems. Meanwhile New Zealand have been impressively ruthless against Associate opposition, adding Zimbabwe to their ten-wicket victims this week and should easily reach the quarters. South Africa continued their fine start, with the brilliant AB De Villiers constructing a second century in their demolition of the Dutch. Hashim Amla also demonstrated his pedigree with a hundred of his own, and Imran Tahir proved the Proteas' attack is not all about Steyn and Morkel. Back in Group B, the West Indies have also reminded us of their international class by thumping the Dutch and Bangladesh. I have been very disappointed in the co-hosts' performances. I had them down as potential quarter- and even semi-finalists but in this form they look set for an early departure from the tournament. Their batting was simply woeful against Roach, Sammy and Benn on Friday.
Player of the week? A very close run thing between Shahid Afridi and Kevin O'Brien just gets my verdict. I can't ignore the fastest ever World Cup hundred, especially as it came against one of the leading teams in international cricket, and it illuminated the second week of the tournament. Shame so few were in Bangalore to witness it.
There are some intriguing fixtures in the coming week. I predict England's rollercoaster ride will yield them a win against the fancied South Africans and a struggle against Bangladesh on Friday. India should reassert their authority on Group B with victories over Ireland and the Netherlands, while in Group A, Canada may have the edge over Kenya in the 'wooden spoon' clash and New Zealand's bowlers may do enough damage to Pakistan to garner a further two points. I'll probably be wrong, of course, but at least Week Two results have set the scene for some more potential surprises.
