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Aesthetically, the World Cup had much to commend it, even if the event lacked in other departments such as close matches, England success and a gripping final. This was the beautiful game, according to a leading cricket artist who took her easel to five of the matches.

Limited edition prints of 26 works by Jocelyn Galsworthy, who paints in pastel, have been a familiar sight at cricket shops around the country. Her depiction of Steve Waugh batting during the semi-final between South Africa and Australia, that amazing tie, could prove to be the prized item of her collection.

For the aesthetes, take Worcester during the Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka game. Galsworthy said: ``Here was a lovely traditional county ground with the cathedral in the background and Zimbabwe in the field wearing their flaming red. The modern and old go well together.

``I'm more a traditional cricket-lover, but I must say I absolutely loved the World Cup. I thought I would loathe it.''

Galsworthy, great niece of the author John Galsworthy, raised a few eyebrows during the Johnners charity dinner at Lord's in April when she bid £900 unsuccessfully at the auction for a pair of final tickets. She said she wanted them to give to her agent.

Michael Bevan, fresh from the 'welcome home' parade for the Australia team in Melbourne, left a cricket bag of World Cup team memorabilia outside his flat when he returned to Sydney and, national hero or not, he had the lot stolen.

The loss included eight yellow World Cup shirts and four bats - all autographed by Steve Waugh's victorious squad - two Australian badged helmets, two floppy hats, two caps, two pairs of batting gloves, two pairs of shoes and pads.

After a police appeal a tip-off was received, and Bevan's agent paid £2,000 yesterday to an anonymous man in a car park for the return of all the items.

The black market for World Cup final tickets was a potential problem for the MCC because their own membership accounted for 26 per cent of the crowd, but a public relations disaster was avoided.

With some £100 tickets reportedly changing hands at more than £1,000 each, there was potential for corruption. The problem was solved by fixing the buyer's name to each MCC seat, so that a green-shirted, firecracker-waving, drum-beating Pakistan fanatic, under the name of Brigadier Bufton Tufton, might have caused suspicion - especially if he was not wearing a tie.

The relatively subdued atmosphere during the final was caused by the one-sided match, but it had much to do with the large MCC percentage. An organiser diplomatically explained: ``The MCC are used to watching cricket in a particular way.''

The World Cup deprived Warwickshire of two Test players for their early over-50 championship games. Mushtaq Mohammad was tied up as Pakistan's coach, and they would have contacted Alvin Kallicharran, the former West Indies left-hander, 50 last March, if he had not been committed to Kenya.

John Jameson, a former regular, ruled himself out through injury and World Cup duty with the MCC, but Alan Oakman, another former England batsman, is an enthusiastic fill-in at the age of 69.

'Oakie' enjoys being remembered for his five catches among Jim Laker's 19 Australian victims at Old Trafford in 1956. ``I'm still dining out on that 40 years or so later,'' he said. ``People are interested. There are still a few around who remember that match.''

The tie between Australia and South Africa, the first in World Cup history, brought knowing smiles at Cardiff Cricket Club. Last weekend Cardiff recorded their third tie in the East Wales League with less than half the season gone. Ed Meggitt, their captain, said: ``Some cricketers go through their entire career without being involved in one.''

Ray Julian, voted by the county players as umpire of the year in 1998, has been bought personalised car number plates by his wife Megan as an advance

63rd birthday present. His Toyota will soon be wearing R4 LBW, reflecting a supposed reputation as a 'giver'.

The gentlemanly Julian has always been one to carry out his duties with a smile, his enjoyment of the game always apparent. He had the players in stitches at the awards dinner when, in a self-effacing gesture, he said: ``I would like to thank all the bowlers who voted for me.''

Julian put together a book of low-cost inns and bed-and-breakfast places near all the cricket venues and the print run of more than a thousand sold out.

Professional sports people do get strangers eager to meet them knocking on their door, and Tim Munton, Warwickshire's England swing bowler, should know.

Since buying a former cottage hospital with his wife, Tina, as their home by the A38 near Burton-on-Trent - the place was converted to a house at least five years ago - ambulances have still been calling, and a kindly woman turned up at Christmas bearing flowers and grapes.