Finally had enough of the World Cup

Daily Result: £1.32

Not the whole competition you understand. But today was the first day I just thought sod it, not wasting my time doing this any longer, exited my positions and turned over. Not quite cutting my nose of to spite my face. I just figured it wasn't really worth my time for the amount I was likely to win. And, more importantly, I just didn't want to do it. Getting on with some other work and watching the football just seemed a more attractive proposition.

I guess the perpetual rain, the short-priced favourite and the uncompetitive nature of the match - three key ingredients we're getting far too much of - finally took its toll.

Today's game was Ireland v South Africa. The Saffers' price was as low as 1.02 before the off. When it finally did start that is. As the match was delayed by rain. Again. As it was at 17/1. And 17/1 again. And 23/1. And by then I'd lost interest to be honest. Did pop in very shortly a little later to check but effectively my trading for a profit was over for the day.

Sure there are other markets to get involved with. Innings runs is always a bit risky with the rain about though. And the handicap markets / top batsmen / highest 1st 10 over scores etc don't have the greatest of liquidity. Meaning I don't like to get involved too heavily incase I can't get out where I want.

Wisden recently ran a report on viewing figures for cricket. Test match audiences in the UK had fallen from an average of 1-1.5 million per broadcast in recent years when matches were on Channel 4 - peaking at 3 million when England won the Ashes - to less than 250,000 after the switch to Sky. If I were a betting man I'd wager a shiny £1 coin the average figures per match for the World Cup are even lower. ;-)

While I'm not knocking the switch to Sky - we get a lot more cricket to trade even if far less people get to see it - I'm sure there's some executives sat somewhere in Sky Towers thinking "Where the hell has this all gone wrong? Viewing figures were supposed to be higher. Ad revenues were supposed to be higher". And that's just in England. I hate to think what their counterparts in Pakistan and India make of it all!!

The answers as to where it's all gone wrong are all over the Web. And there's plenty of them. I thought this piece from Cricinfo was a pretty good round up though. It starts from an interesting angle and highlights quite what a PR disaster the 'ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007' has become. (You'll understand the fancy title when you read the piece). And while the author may not quite be Will Self he did spring a new word on me - pusillanimous! Well......... it was more interesting than the cricket. :-(

Anyway, it's not all doom and gloom. Tomorrow is, after all, another day. And we do at least have the prospect, weather permitting, of a competitive match - Sri Lanka v England. And I guess the bottom line is the World Cup has also been a profitable one for me so far. Though I believe, although not begrudging Ireland and Bangladesh their places in the Super 8s, it would have been more profitable so far if India and Pakistan had got through.

Ultimately, mercenary as it sounds, it's that profit that's the bottom line for me. The fact that I'm deflated about the competition is less important. I'm a punter more than a fan. My profit comes first. Enjoyment second. Unfortunatley I guess that makes me a little hypocritical. As, sadly, it appears to put me in the same boat as the ICC.