If the minnows combined

The whole World Cup structure was designed so that the top eight sides would go through and, after a 50-year process and one or two wobbles, that's what has happened. Next time round, there won't be any associate nations and the competition will be all the poorer for it. While they may not have stood much chance of progression through to the latter stages, the associates played their part in raising what could have been a month of utter tedium to something close to interesting. Perhaps if they combined resources, they'd have a real chance of doing something.
Here's what we think a combined side of those not progressing* would look like.

1. Hiral Patel
Opening bat is one area all the associates struggled in, but Canada's Patel flung the bat for an entertaining 50 against Australia and a brisk 30-odd against New Zealand after being overlooked for the first four games which at least showed some potential. The 19-year old didn't look overawed by facing the Aussie quicks - something that can't be said about players much older.

2. Brendan Taylor
Zimbabwe's Taylor had a mixed tournament. A first-baller against Canada was a low point, but he recovered to make 44 in the next game against New Zealand and after Zimbabwe had been flayed by Sri Lanka's opening duo, his quick 80 had you thinking that Zimbabwe might challenge the 328 target. Only briefly, but that's not nothing. Zimbabwe learned during the tournament that they'd been readmitted to the Test ranks and Taylor will benefit from that. He's showed he has the talent and at 25 has time on his side.

3. Tom Cooper
Not the most Dutch sounding of names, but Cooper had a solid tournament. A failure against South Africa isn't a disgrace and by the time he'd made just five against Ireland, the Netherlands were already out. In between, he made a couple of 30s, a 40 and an unbeaten 50 as he was the only Dutch batsman to show any resistance against the West Indies. A consistent performer who chipped in with a few dibbly off-breaks as well.

4. Ryan ten Doeschate
Two hundreds in the competition for the Dutch all-rounder, the first of which helped set up a 290+ chase for England in their opening game. South Africa born and qualifying for England on residency, there were rumblings that both those nations would try and get him on board for the tournament, but he stayed in the orange of the Netherlands and good for them that he did. 307 runs at better than 60, 7 wickets at a slightly expensive 46 is a job well done.

5. Shakib-al-Hasan
Bangladesh captain Shakib would slot right into any other team. He makes vital runs in the lower-middle order and his left-arm spin is incredibly difficult to get off the square. Moreover, he's a shrewd tactician and even after the routing that his side copped from the West Indies, spoke intelligently despite the huge pressure of a vocal home crowd.

6. Kevin O'Brien
He hit a 50-ball hundred against England. Fifty. Wasn't as entrusted with the ball as might have been expected, but still took 4/71 against West Indies. When this tournament is done and dusted though, people will still be talking about that amazing onslaught against the English.

7. Peter Borren
He only has one shot - he attempts to cut everything - but he's a handy late-order hitter and nagging medium pace bowler. The Dutch captain, he marshalled his troops well. Mind, if this writer had mad, scary eyes like that, I reckon I could get people to do my bidding unquestioningly as well.

8. Mushfiqur Rahim
Bangladesh wicketkeeper who knows the rules better than Matt Prior.

9. Shafiul Islam
As with opening batsmen, pace bowling is a department that all the associates struggled with. Shafiul proved more than handy though. He zipped it through at decent rather than express pace and took six wickets at a respectable 34. Only the South Africans tucked into him, taking 44 off his five overs. Nobody else could play him and he was there in that ninth-wicket stand that saw Bangladesh overhaul the English.

10. George Dockrell
In his second World Cup, but not even 19 years old. If that's not living the dream, then I don't know what is. Seven wickets at less than 30 each is good, but his control was good too and his economy rate was under 4.5. That is bloody brilliant. Improving with the bat too.

11. Ray Price
The second man in our XI with the cold, dead eyes of a killer, it says here that Price is 34. That's at least 30 short of where we'd have him, but veteran though he may be, he's still producing the goods. Australia couldn't work him out when he opened the bowling against them which led to some ludicrous claims that the Aussies had taken cash to ensure the first ten overs went for less than a given amount. Rubbish. They just couldn't play Ray Price. As attacking a left-arm spinner as you could wish to see, Price will play an important part of Zimbabwe's second coming as a Test nation.

No Kenyans in there, which tells you all you need to know about how they went at the tournament.

* - Yes, it's a bit of a cheat. You can't make a side from just the associates, so some Zimbabweans and Bangladeshis had to be included.