Thumping of South Africa puts Indians at top of the stakes for a subcontinental winner.
India's vibrant performance in cleaning up South Africa in Melbourne on Sunday night has doubtless rejigged the betting markets for the World Cup.
Where, before then, the money talking loudest would have been on Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, you'd imagine plenty of flutters have gone on the defendingchampions. If you're looking for a subcontinental winner, right now it can only be India.
Sri Lanka have been ordinary and at 18 for three, then 178 for six, chasing 233 against Afghanistan in Dunedin on Sunday the associate dream was within reach.
Imagine. The Afghanistan team, in only their second cup game, dumping the beaten finalists from the past two tournaments.
For all that the Irish rightly insist their win over the West Indies was no boilover, this would still have constituted a massive second step for associate cricket at this cup.
It would also have had the Sri Lankans nervously fingering their passports. Who'd have thought? As it happened Afghanistan botched a couple of runouts and Thisara Perera hit the Sri Lankans home.
So winning chances? You'd think not the way they're playing now, for all that Mahela Jayawardene has found form and Lasith Malinga will get better the longer Sri Lanka stay alive.
Ditto Pakistan, who are all over the shop. Sniping is coming from home, and from former players you'd think would know better. We've seen Pakistan fight their way out of a large cup jam before - in this neck of the woods as it happens.
However that Pakistani side of 1992 had far better players than Misbah-ul-Haq's lacklustre mob.
Which leaves India. They won in England in 1983 and at home four years ago.
Seeing off Pakistan comfortably in an opening game in Adelaide loaded with the usual pressures of that neighbourly set-to is one thing. But South Africa, by a belting 130 runs, was a different story. It was a fair old thumping all round.
Their batting is brimful of attacking talent, the bowling has been impressive and the fielding is generally tidy. The issue around India's hopes pre-cup was whether they had the wherewithal to win in countries where their most recent experiences have been grim.
New Zealand beat them 1-0 on their test visit last summer and duffed them 4-0 in the ODI series. Their travails in Australia are well known.
But they have started the cup in assertive fashion. India were energetic, skilful and well up for the job.
Next up they have the United Arab Emirates and the West Indies in a Perth double before heading to New Zealand to finish pool play against Ireland in Hamilton and Zimbabwe at Eden Park.
Their hard challenges are behind them and they're in solid shape. Discount them at your peril.
Fine Ali century brings England a sip of relief
England opener Moeen Ali acknowledges the crowd after his century against Scotland yesterday. Photo / Getty Images
Man of the match Moeen Ali probably summed up the England mood after they got on the board with a 119-run win over Scotland at Hagley Oval yesterday.
"We just said 'thank God' for winning the game," Ali said. That's the story; now's not the time for them to over-reach on the ambition front.
The sentiment is understandable given England had been well beaten by Australia in their opening match, then smashed by New Zealand last Friday in a serious contender for their worst-ever match.
Sent in, Ali's 128 off 107 balls, combined with Ian Bell's 54, gave England a 172-run opening stand, from which they didn't look back, ending at 303 for eight.
Scotland were in difficulties early and eventually fell for 184, England winning by 119 runs.
The Scots harboured a genuine belief they could get a win which would break their World Cup duck and what confidence remains within England, and register their first victory over the Auld Enemy in five attempts.
Beat England at football, golf, curling and caber tossing certainly; cricket, not yet.
Ali's second ODI century was stroke-laden and Bell chipped in. Captain Eion Morgan, out of runs of late, managed 46 off 42 balls and there was a brisk unbeaten 24 from Jos Buttler to put some late punch in the performance.
At 54 for three, Scotland were withering, and only a bright 71 by Aberdeen opener Kyle Coetzer provided a high point.
"Everybody still believes in what we can do and what we've done in the past," Morgan said.
"We didn't sit and sulk about past performances and we were looking forward to today's game."
England comfortably avoided the large banana skin and if the speculation on what they might yet do hasn't exactly risen, at least they're up and running.
Scotland captain Preston Mommsen could face a charge of stating the bleedin' obvious when he talked about learning curves out of the first two games against New Zealand - a three-wicket loss when run rate was uppermost in some New Zealand batsmen's minds - and England.
"It's brilliant to get that experience, put it in the bank and take it away with us. Hopefully, we'll be better for that," he said.
Steven Finn felt the lash of Brendon McCullum's bat in Wellington last week - two witless overs costing 49 - but rebounded nicely with three wickets in his nine overs. Only Tim Southee has taken more wickets in the cup than Finn's eight.
The Scots head back to their spiritual home, Dunedin, for a game they'll be desperate to win against Afghanistan on Thursday.
England return to their House of Horrors, Westpac Stadium in Wellington to play Sri Lanka. Lose that and they really will be on the cusp of an early departure.
Bowling: I Wardlaw 10-1-60-1 (2w), J Davey 10-0-68-4 (9w), A Evans 10-1-46-1 (2w), M Haq 10-0-51-1 (1nb), R Berrington 5-0-43-1 (2w), M Machan 2-0-11-0, K Coetzer 3-0-19-0.
Scotland K Coetzer c Woakes b Ali ___________ 71 (110) C MacLeod c Buttler b Anderson _______ 4 (11) F Coleman c Morgan b Woakes ________ 7 (30) M Machan c Buttler b Finn ____________ 5 (7) P Mommsen c Broad b Root _________ 26 (52) R Berrington c Morgan b Ali __________ 8 (12) M Cross c Root b Finn ______________ 23 (40) J Davey c Buttler b Finn ______________ 9 (17) M Haq c Ballance b Woakes __________ 15 (32) A Evans c Buttler b Anderson __________ 9 (15) I Wardlaw not out ___________________ 0 (2) Extras (5lb 2w) ________________________ 7 — Total (10wkts, 42.2 overs) ______________ 184 Fall: 1-17, 2-47, 3-54, 4-114, 5-122, 6-128, 7-150, 8-160, 9-184, 10-184. Bowling: J Anderson 6-0-30-2, S Broad 7-0-24-0 (1w), C Woakes 5.2-0-25-2, S Finn 9-3-26-3, M Ali 10-0-47-2, J Root 5-0-27-1 (1w).
