ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Best performance, match and team of the tournament

Team of the tournament

Brendon McCullum (New Zealand (c)), Martin Guptill (New Zealand), Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, wicketkeeper), Steven Smith (Australia), Glenn Maxwell (Australia), James Faulkner (Australia), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) Mitchell Starc (Australia), Trent Boult (New Zealand).

Performance of the tournament - Glenn Maxwell 102 v Sri Lanka

Bigger scores, record-breaking knocks and bigger hitting there certainly was in this World Cup but none – even De Villiers – could match the unique inventiveness of Maxwell.

With Australia 175 for 3, Sri Lanka had the squeeze on the co-hosts but Maxwell used that pressure to his advantage, with a mesmerising spell of stunning hitting; a flurry of shots we may never see again at a World Cup. Though he may have missed out making the fastest World Cup century ever, his innings will live longer in the memory than that of current holder Kevin O'Brien.

Poorest performance of the tournament - England

Many bookmakers had Peter Moores's team down as the fourth favourites for the competition behind Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, but that represents one of the more fickle predictions in recent times.

England arrived Down Under out of form, underprepared and intent on playing a prehistoric brand of cricket. A pool stage exit after defeat to Bangladesh put them out of their misery after being ripped apart by the tournament big hitters. A one-day nightmare.

Match of the tournament - New Zealand v South Africa, semi-final

In a tournament that was threatening to become increasingly swayed in the favour of teams defending totals, New Zealand produced a herculean chase to book their place in a first World Cup final at the expense of South Africa.

Pursuing a Duckworth-Lewis adjusted 298 from 43 overs, New Zealand were 128 for 3 having lost both McCullum and Guptil as the Proteas honed in on victory. Missed run-outs and dropped catches saw the Kiwis survive until Grant Elliott completed a fine 84 not out with a match-winning six off the penultimate ball.

Biggest disappointment

With every fine performance from an associate nation, whether it be Ireland or Afghanistan, Scotland or Zimbabwe, it only accentuated the lunacy of the decision from the ICC to cut the 2019 World Cup to 10 teams.

Six associate sides must become two in four years with a qualification tournament set to further protect the Test playing nations. The length of the current format may get some deserved criticism but it must not be at the expense of diluting the breadth of the competition.