Cricket World Cup 2015 Notepad: Top Shot, Delivery, Catch and More from Day 1

The Cricket World Cup is finally under way!

No more warm-up matches where both sides can use as many as 15 players. No more drawn-out written previews (I know this because I wrote some of them) and no more talk about potential dark horses.

So what did we learn from the two games that took place on the opening day? Nothing new really.

Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand are both very, very good. England, meanwhile, are not.

The event kicked off in Christchurch, with the Black Caps beating Sri Lanka by 98 runs. Somehow, though, that still wasn't the biggest margin of victory recorded on day one.

Australia thrashed England by 111 runs in front of a huge crowd in Melbourne; Aaron Finch made 135, having been dropped before he had a run to his name, and Mitchell Marsh took five wickets for the hosts.

England did have the odd moment to remember in an otherwise dismal outing.

Steve Finn finished Australia's innings off by claiming a hat-trick, giving him figures of 5-71, while James Taylor made 98 not out in their failed run chase.

Each day we will review the action, pick out some highlights and scour social media to see what people are talking about.

Shot of the day

Before moving on to the shot of the day in cricketing terms, below has to be the pick of the pictures taken:

Now to the actual shot of the day, and one that proved particularly profitable for a fan in Christchurch.

Kane Williamson's lofted straight six was impressive enough at the Hagley Oval, but Sunjay Ganda stole his thunder by pulling off a superb catch in the crowd.

His one-handed effort, made even more impressive as someone else ran across his path in an attempt to grab the glory, could end up making him a lot of money, as explained by Stuff.co.nz.

Due to a promotion run by the Tui brewery, Ganda now has a million reasons to hope New Zealand go all the way and lift the trophy. His nonchalant take is currently earning him a minimum of $250,000, and that's if the Kiwis fail to get out of the group.

He also has to hope that no other spectator wearing one of Tui's orange shirts manages to cling on to another one-hander during the rest of the tournament, otherwise he has to share the cash.

Delivery of the day

There are some strong candidates for this award, despite the two Group A fixtures combining to produce 1,137 runs in total.

Trent Boult of New Zealand produced an excellent inswinging yorker to dismiss Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara for 39. You know it has to be a good ball to flummox someone as good as Sangakkara.

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

However, England need something to celebrate after another tough day at the office.

Stuart Broad—still as popular as ever with the Australian public—produced not one but two deliveries of note at the MCG.

The Nottinghamshire seamer ended opener David Warner's fun with a cross-seam delivery that bowled the opener for 22.

Not content with that, he then followed it up by dismissing Shane Watson with his very next ball. The Australian batsman could not resist pushing his bat at a full ball outside off stump, resulting in him getting a thin edge through to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

Catch of the day

Ganda could have qualified for this section, but it seems right to reward a catch that was actually taken on the field.

Steve Smith barely contributed to Australia's huge total of 342-9, reaching five before he was bowled by Chris Woakes.

However, he produced something special when his side needed him to in the field.

Smith pulled off a stunning grab to send Buttler back for 10. The wicket also secured Marsh a five-wicket haul and thundered an extra nail into England's coffin.

Interviews on the move

To the ICC/television broadcasters: What is wrong with doing the pre-game interview with the captains standing still? 

At the ICC World Twenty20 it has become traditional for the two skippers to talk to the camera as they walk to the middle to stage the toss. The method has been carried over for the 50-over World Cup, sadly.

For those of us who suffer with travel sickness, it makes for unpleasant viewing.

No way to finish

Saying a batsman "deserved a hundred" always seems a little odd. Just because they have played well that does not mean they should automatically reach a milestone.

James Taylor, though, did at least deserve the chance to reach a hundred.

The England batsman finished up on 98 not out after James Anderson was run out to end the innings, and also the match.

However, the decision was just plain wrong, as the ICC had to later admit in a press release that the sport's governing body had to send out long after everyone had left the ground.

The issue was over when the ball was deemed to be "dead"—Taylor had been given out lbw but successfully reviewed the decision, though not before attempting a run.

Anderson was caught short by a direct hit trying to make it to the striker's end and given out by the third umpire.

That should not have been the case, however, as once umpire Aleem Dar had raised his finger to give Taylor out, the ball is no longer in play. Anderson should have been reprieved, and Taylor should have been back on strike needing two more runs to reach three figures. 

It was a rather unfitting end to a game that had stopped being a contest long ago.

England expects (very little)

Sunday's schedule

The second day of the World Cup sees four more teams get their campaigns underway.

The action in Group B starts off in Hamilton, New Zealand, as South Africa take on Zimbabwe at Seddon Park.

However, that is not the big derby of the day.

The Adelaide Oval plays host to India vs. Pakistan, a clash of epic proportions that will be played out in front of a sell-out crowd, per Andrew Ramsey of Cricket.com.au.