This one's all about those who were expected to do better, but grossly underperformed throughout the tournament, or whatever they played of it anyway.
The order/combination is irrelevant, since there seemed to be way more successful bowlers than batsmen.
Honorable mentions: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Bernard Loots and Berend Westdijk (Net), Mohammed Hafeez and Abdur Rehman (Pak), Steve Smith and Jason Krejza (Aus), Michael Yardy and Paul Collingwood (Eng), Charles Coventy (Zim), Sreesanth.
The order/combination is irrelevant, since there seemed to be way more successful bowlers than batsmen.
- Graeme Smith (RSA): 183 runs in 7 innings @26.14, High 45, SR 61. The (ex) skipper didn't have a great time out there, and certainly didn't lead from the front with the bat. Was probably thinking of his upcoming engagement.
- Ahmed Shehzad (Pak): 44 runs in 5 innings @8.8, High 13, SR 48.35. Terrible for an opener in a tournament where the top 3 did the bulk of the scoring for most teams. Never looked at ease, even against the Associates.
- Darren Bravo (WI): 139 runs in 7 innings @23.16, High 73, SR 70.91. His failure to stick around at #3 meant that the Windies were almost always in trouble early. Take away his one half-century and he has 66 runs from the other 6 innings, in what might have been a breakout tournament for a very talented batsman.
- Ramnaresh Sarwan (WI): 155 runs in 6 innings @25.83, High 49, SR 56.36. He came into the World Cup in good form, and the Windies needed him to fire. With Chanderpaul being benched and Gayle's carelessness, he should have done better as a senior batsman.
- Cameron White (Aus): 70 runs in 6 innings @17.5, High 22*, SR 61.94. The team kept faith in him throughout, despite having Ferguson and David Hussey on the bench, but he just couldn't get going. Expect a return to form against Bangladesh.
- Chamara Silva (SL): 77 runs in 4 innings @19.25, High 57, SR 70. He didn't do anything to disprove the theory that he is just another replaceable batsman who flits in and out of that liquid (because it's not solid) Lankan lower-middle order.
- Elton Chigumbura (Zim): 96 runs in 6 innings @19.2, High 38, SR 71.11. The skipper was supposed to be a key player and all-rounder, but failed to get many runs. He didn't bowl much either, which was probably best since his 8 overs went for 59 runs.
- Matt Prior (Eng): 78 runs in 6 innings @15.6, High 22*, SR 84.78. Okay, I needed a keeper and Kamran scored more runs. Prior really shouldn't be in the one-day side, because no batting position in this side seems to suit him. Move over for Kieswetter or Davies.
- Yusuf Pathan (Ind): 74 runs in 6 innings @14.8, High 30*, SR 115.62. Well, bad tournament for him, as I predicted super-accurately before the Cup began. The top order's prolificness (prolificity? prolifarity? pro bono?) meant that he didn't have a lot of time to do his thing, and this ultimately resulted in the positive that was Raina's selection. His bowling was terrible too - just the one wicket in 35 overs.
- James Anderson (Eng): 4 wickets at 70.50, ER 6.55. England's supposed spearhead got spanked all around the place, and not in a dirty way. Well, OK, in a dirty way. He just couldn't catch a break, and had to be dropped. Needs to be nursed back to health on home pitches.
- Sreesanth (Ind): Okay, I confess that I made this list just to put Sreesanth in it. Two games: the WC opener against Bangladesh, and the final against Sri Lanka. 13 overs for 105. I swear, if I ever bump into him I will kick him in the 'nads for doing his best to lose the final. That we won. Because we're champions. Heh.
Honorable mentions: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Bernard Loots and Berend Westdijk (Net), Mohammed Hafeez and Abdur Rehman (Pak), Steve Smith and Jason Krejza (Aus), Michael Yardy and Paul Collingwood (Eng), Charles Coventy (Zim), Sreesanth.
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