Wickman is in the mood for a sweeping generalisation. The difference between the minnows and the big boys is the power of the big boys to bounce back when things aren't going too well.
Look at South Africa today. 66-7. That's a very deep hole they've dug for themselves. A fightback by Hall (60 odd) and Peterson and they scrape 192 together. Not a massive statement granted, but a Houdini-like escape.
They've probably given themselves more than a fighting chance (it's halftime in the game). The Irish were probably thinking (Wickman doesn't do accents) "This one, gentlemen is in the bag. Just a shame we aren't pulling this upset off in the tournament proper". Now there's every chance that they will be referred to as "Plucky" tomorrow in the popular news media. Nobody wants to hear that.
Similarly England weren't in rude health on a turning wicket at 132-5 and 186-6. Dalrymple's valuable 70-odd helped haul England to a more than adequate 286. For a moment towards the end of the innings, if you narrowed your eyes a smidge, with Saj and Plunkett giving it some tap, it actually felt like England were on top.
Wickman reckons the problem that the "lesser" sides are going to have is not in getting a few hearts to flutter on some sporty wickets, it will be in closing games down when they've got a breakthrough or two. Having said that, Wickman will be glued to the (rather sad) web scorecard on bbc.co.uk to see if our emerald isled neighbours can pull a fast one on the Jaapies...
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