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It has been a long month. Four teams have now finally reached the business end of England 99. They have braved the best opposition that the world had pitted against them, they withstood the miseries of a cold wet English summer, and they even managed to defeat the complicated points system. On the flip side, some of them have paid back the bookmakers' trust in them. Three more days remain, by the end of which the world will crown the new kings of cricket.

While the select four plot and plan for the morrow, consider the plight of some of the could-have-beens of this competition. Three erstwhile world champions fell by the wayside, unable to cope with the rigid demands of this day and age. There was an aura of mystique and romance surrounding their previous performances, and they were expected to live up to them all over again. In a harsh world, where results are more important than style and flair, Sri Lanka, West Indies and India were found woefully short of the business acumen required, to survive in this cut-throat would of dog eat dog.

Sri Lanka landed on the shores of Old Blighty as reigning world champions. They never played anywhere near the level expected of them. The world watched in horror and stupefaction the frenetic decline and demise of a team that had, only months ago, been one of the most feared teams in contemporary one day cricket. The ageing process, the result of the cruel dictates of time, had left its mark. Try as they might, Sri Lanka never could battle the currents of time and tide. Since 1996, Sri Lanka has made very few changes in their line up. The nucleus remained the warriors who had fought those classic battles in 1996. But this was a different day and age. They did not have the answers to all those questions that the present posed for them.

Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillekeratne, household names only a few seasons ago, could hardly have prayed more fervently than in this World Cup, for the earth to move apart and swallow them en masse. Such was the abject nature of their collective failures. The team looked aged and fatigued. Their mental state was in shambles and they were easy prey to the vultures in their group. If ever there was a side that had death spelled all over it, Sri Lanka was that team. They proved every prophet of doom right, by the manner in which they capitulated against India. Sri Lanka now needs to go back to the drawing boards. There is a whole lot that needs to be done. With the present state of its cricket Board, and the internecine squabbling accompanying it, even this task might have to be put on hold.

On the other hand, the West Indies always had the knack of proving the pundits wrong. In fact, they had cultivated this quality into a fine art over the years. Granted, the West Indies have been on a decline, the past couple of seasons. But whenever they were written off, they had bounced back with a vengeance. In spite of being a side that was a pale shadow of their more illustrious predecessors the West Indies could always be counted to stand their ground and hold their own, against all comers.

In Brian Lara they had for a while the most destructive batsman of the modern era. But Lara, in recent times had been fighting his own personal battle with himself. He had become temperamental and tantrum prone. It affected his batting and by extension the team, which had come to rely so heavily on him. It seemed during Australia's tour of the West Indies recently, Lara may have rediscovered his sublime touch and form. By the time he arrived in England with a hand injury, Lara had reverted to his old ways again. He played shots uncharacteristic of him, selected the wrong balls to hit, inflicted deep wounds on the rest of the side, by not being able to lead by example.

The two fast bowlers Ambrose and Walsh toiled heroically, knowing fully well the futility of it all. West Indies, the ifs and buts notwithstanding, were not meant to set England on fire this summer. Agonisingly, the future does not promise well for them either. More and more youngsters in the Caribbean are taking to games other than cricket simply because of the enhanced monetary benefits to be derived. Cricket is a dying sport in the West Indies. After the departure of the Walshes, the Ambroses and the Laras, West Indies may go into suspended animation. In our own lifetime we have been privileged to watch the heroics of this great cricketing nation. Unfortunately, we now witness at close quarters the end of a great era.

Except for India and Indian fans, it is doubtful whether the rest of the cricket world takes the Indian team seriously. If the stars and the moon are in harmony, and the rest of the planets in the prescribed positions and orbit, the Indian side performs wonders. Left on their own, they have problems chewing gum and crossing the street at the same time. And this, despite having possibly the best batting line up on view.

India manage to self-destruct for no apparent rhyme or reason. Now, any team worth its salt fancies its chances against this team, which is fast acquiring a reputation for being the favourite whipping boys of international cricket. After every debacle, The Management decides to go on a head hunting mission, passing the proverbial buck and avoiding the crux of the problem, altogether. No doubt a similar scenario will be enacted this time around. Trophies they may not be able to win, the players however continue to remain the most pampered and lavishly paid in the world. At least they get some things right. While the world decides to take a break from their winning habits, they can take a few pointers from the India players, on the art of being successful without actually trying.

Enough said. All jhamela gone, let us concentrate on the rest of the cricket.