Cancelling the World Cup, with 26 matches still to be played after the group stage finishes on Monday, would probably cripple the International Cricket Council.

It is not surprising, therefore, that its chief executive has already said the show must go on despite Bob Woolmer's tragic death at the hands of a murderer.

But sometimes financial considerations - TV money is the very life blood of the ICC - have to be put to one side when an event as indescribably shocking as the strangling of a cricket coach comes to light.

On the other hand, this is a clear opportunity for cricket to show that the party can go on, and that some gripping, exciting matches can be played with the world's best players desperate to win the great prize.

What is indisputable, though, is that the event has been poorly attended so far. If most matches had been sell-out affairs, it would be a no-brainer.

But some matches have seen the sort of two-men-and-a-spaniel audiences associated with county cricket.

So, we have the spectre of an event that has hardly got the Caribbean faithful flocking now limping through another five weeks of cricket.

With the shadow of Woolmer's death looming over it, this could be a gloomy period for the game indeed.