A double DVD set that runs for a staggering 317 minutes all up, nearly a whole day’s cricket in one little DVD box.
The Stars:
Each of the competing teams are stars in their own right, with special mention to the Aussies who win it and the Kenyans who end up the best-performed African team.
Synopsis:
Disk one takes us from the opening ceremony through the highlights of each and every match (54 of them just in case you had forgotten) to the final and the speeches afterwards. We re-live the anguish of the South Africans in the opening match as they manage to get the first wicket but then watch on as Brian Lara hits the first century of the World Cup to set up a stirring victory over the hosts.
Given that it is a highlights package it is commendable how much the producers actually fit in. I wonder how many of we cricket followers would have picked Austin Codrington from Canada as the man to take the first five wicket haul? Or chose John Davison, also representing Canada, to be the scorer of the fastest century of the tournament? Or selected the Kenyans to finish as the highest ranked African nation, putting their more experienced South African and Zimbabwean brothers to shame?
There is a little bit from each game and the fact that the two best teams met in the final is evidenced from the results in the lead up games. The only match the Indians lost on their way to the final was against the Aussies while the Aussies didn’t even lose one. The final will long be remembered for the outstanding batting from the Australian top ORDER as they smashed their way to record after record, finishing on 2 for 359. The Indians were never in the hunt after losing Sachin Tendulkar in the first over but still managed to get to 234, a score that would have won a fair proportion of the lead up games. The highlights are shared around and if you want a particular focus on the Aussies see One Day Wonders - reviewed elsewhere on this site by your intrepid reviewer.
The second disk has a fascinating collection of pieces on some of the key individuals in the tournament including Ponting, Lee, Bichel, Tendulkar and a fabulous piece on the Davison century. There are plenty of a variety of stats to keep the enthusiast going although I would have liked to have seen all the players’ stats at some stage - it seemed a little odd that they weren’t provided.
Summary:
This is a good selection of highlights with coverage of all teams, even the minnows of cricket. Each match is covered so all teams get a go and there are some delightful shots of the African scenery to whet the travel appetite. It is a big commitment to get through the lot but I am sure the real cricket buffs will give it a go.
Widescreen Capability: No
Sound: Only Mono, which is almost proudly mentioned on the cover.
Extras: Two disks, plenty of stats, scene selection and a fabulous series of vignettes on some of the tournament’s stars.
Plot: Hey, the Aussies won so I thought it was a great story from start to finish!