Hits and Misses: Never a dull moment at the World Cup

World Cup cricket controversies, the Socceroos humilating England, a great throw by Queen Bea . . . all part and parcel of the sporting week.

HITS:

* The New Zealand cricket team got their campaign back on track with a deserved win over the Windies.

* Scott Styris, whose 141 in 125 balls against Sri Lanka was a stunning effort in a well-beaten team. And to think, he was among the last players chosen, so we believe ...

* Alistair Hunt. The gutsy hero of the Davis Cup victory over Pakistan in Hamilton. Without the experience of international tennis, Hunt upset predictions with his four-set triumph over Pakistan No 1 Aisam Ul-Haq Qureshi. It will be harder next time, though, as he and his mates head to India in April.

* Gareth Hopkins. Not good enough to get a contract with Canterbury, the wicketkeeper-batsman fought a brave one-man battle with the Auckland bowlers in coming up trumps to score 290 for once out, but still found himself on the losing side of the ledger.

* Beatrice Faumuina. Queen Bea back to her best in booking herself an early ticket to August's world track and field championships in Paris. Her 65.53m throw at the NorthSport Classic was her best for some time and confirmed her ranking among the top-10 women's discus throwers in the world.

* Graham Standring. The veteran midget car driver excels in taking the much sought-after Barry Butterworth Memorial at Western Springs. Standring followed a first-up victory with a come-from-behind second in the reverse-grid second race.

* World Cup batsmen. Not a week old, cricket's showpiece has quickly become a haven for the batters, as the bowlers were left to toil on pitches anything but bowler-friendly. Most contenders, and New Zealanders, have posted a century in their early matches.

* The Socceroos. Given a rare chance to play the Poms, the Australian soccer team made the most of it, beating the hapless England who gambled on not putting out their best and lost.

MISSES:

* Shane Warne. The telly tubby has really done it this time. Or has he? The master of talking his way out of anything might find that this is a one-way road to the end of his career. Can mummy come to his rescue? We doubt it.

* Neil Mallender. The Pom-turned-Kiwi cricketer who turned up at the World Cup in an umpire's white shirt - maybe it should have been a white stick - and promptly gave a shocker which, as it turned out, altered the course of New Zealand's opener. Then there was that awful decision against Nathan Astle yesterday. The decisions again raise the question of "outside assistance." If it's there, why not use it?

* Pakistani captain and speedster Waqar Younis' square-off against Australian Andrew Symonds after his second beamer. It won't be long before umpires are given red and yellow cards. And it won't be before time.

World Cup schedule

Points table