On a track that offered full value for good strokeplay, the marquee game of the World Cup thus far, between India and England at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, turned out to be a contest between two sets of weak bowling attacks.
That needs qualification. England attack was definitely weakened by the absence through illness of Stuart Broad, and by the fact that James Anderson, the de facto leader of the lineup, is rendered totally innocuous in sub-continental conditions, while their game-breaker Graeme Swann holds little terror for Indian batsmen reared on spin, on a track devoid of significant turn.
India's bowling is just plan weak, period. Especially on a good batting track. Consider the options: Zaheer, whose best deliveries are negated in conditions that are not helpful; Munaf, a first change bowler pitchforked into the opening slot to fit in with "game plans"; an off spinner whose role - defined by the management, or selected by himself, is unclear - is to contain; a leg spinner who hasn't had the good fortune to make the squad in the year and more leading up to the World Cup; and a couple of part timers whose USP is to keep the ball slow and hope for the best.
Given that, it was a straight up hitting contest against bowling machines - which side can hit harder, oftener?
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