Everyone has the right to change their mind also have changed mine.

Before the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, I took part in a piece for a newspaper where I argued that the Associates, or non-Test playing sides, should not be part of the World Cup.

I based this argument on what I had seen four years earlier in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya - a very disappointing tournament.

For various political reasons, England did not play in Zimbabwe and New Zealand did not travel to Kenya, meaning those two African sides made it through to the Super Six and, in Kenya's case, the semi-finals.

What followed was a series of poor contests, watched by small crowds. As cricket's premier global tournament, it was a poor advert for the game.

And so, my opinion on 2007 was formed. Subsequently, over the eight years that have since passed, I have been proved wrong.

This isn't only because of Ireland's wins against Pakistan, England and West Indies, but because all of the Associates have improved out of sight.

Not only have the non-Test sides proved that they belong at the World Cup, they are also serving up the most dramatic games of this 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand.