THE World Cup is proving that, as in many aspects of life, fashion goes in cycles.

Take a quick look at the most popular baby names of 2010 – Jack, Harry and Alfie – and it is clear those names are actually quite old-fashioned.

But what is popular today can quickly become out-dated and that goes for 50-over cricket when it comes to strategy.

Sri Lanka’s success with pinch-hitters in 1996 heralded an era in which every country packed their team with expansive stroke-makers.

The advent of 20-over cricket looked like it would accelerate that process considerably, and there is still plenty of room for big-hitters of the quality of Kevin O’Brien, who hammered Ireland to that famous victory over England yesterday. But a quick glance at the stats in the World Cup so far reveals that the most successful batsmen have been the orthodox ones.

Sachin Tendulkar, Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Michael Clarke and Kumar Sangakkara have plundered the most runs and all would be considered to be among the best Test players in the world.

England spent the best part of a decade packing their side with big-hitting all-rounders who, by and large, were not up to the job.

But the cream is rising to the top once again with the elite players proving, with a bit more adventure, they can be stars in all formats of the game.