'A' Team Concept - Needs a look in !

Sans A Team, India Benched - Hindustan Times - 2nd April 2007

Once upon a time, when the world of Indian cricket was a happier place, India A tours were the way ahead. And once upon a time wasn't so long ago either. For instance, in the time that Sandeep Patil became a more or less regular India A coach, after leading Kenya to the 2003 World Cup semifinals, 17 players from A tours went on to play for India, others played for India again. And most (see the box for the roster) did well enough.

Suddenly, despite all the talk of "processes" and the "need to groom youngsters" that we have been hearing these past two years, India do not seem to have a proper, dependable bench strength. Why? For starters, the world’s richest Board doesn't seem to want to spend time and money on organising India A tours anymore.

Strangely, in the year that the BCCI reportedly broke the billion-rupee barrier in revenue, India had just one A tour, to Australia, in July 2006. So how are fringe players supposed to prepare for the Indian team, or be ready to step in at a moment's notice if they are not being given the experience?

"It is a serious problem," says a top BCCI official, who did not want to be named, as his views, if aired publicly, would not be appreciated within the BCCI. "There was an imbalance last year, when there were three under-19 tours (to England, Pakistan and New Zealand) and only A tour to Australia. This imbalance began when India won the u-19 World Cup in January 2000, but at 19, most boys are too raw and will suffer if thrown into international cricket."

So why didn't the Board do more? "The problem is that the Board depends on reciprocal arrangements, so a five-year plan for A tours is the need of the hour. Somehow, that hasn't happened." Well, the planning has to start somewhere, so why not at the BCCI meet over April 6 and 7?

"I think the BCCI has no choice but to organise as many A tours as possible if they want Indian cricket to succeed," said former India cap Ashok Malhotra, who has been both a National Selector and the India A coach."While three-four years in domestic cricket makes you street smart and gives you experience, you need to play outside India to be groomed for international games. So the real yardstick is India A tours. The likes of Gautam (Gambhir) and Aakash (Chopra), Irfan (Pathan) and others have come up through the ranks, that way. From u-19s to A tours to India."

The Board official agreed. "All our focus is the India team. The training methods and physio are focussed on those 15. The other players are not in that system, so they suffer when thrown into it. There is a feeling within the Board that we should have a larger pool of players who will travel as much as the seniors and gain experience.”

If it doesn't, then there's trouble ahead. "I'm really worried that Indian cricket will go the hockey way," said Malhotra. "We will stay obsessed with Pakistan and gradually be left behind by the others."

This was an article written by Hindustan Times Sports Editor, Kadambari Murali.

I had my own take on it. It was posted through an e-mail to the author.

Hi Kadambari,

I came across your article on the A Team concept today and would like to make my observations regarding the same.

The A team concept is undoubtedly critical for a team's future. But as we all know, this has just been shoved in India. My observations are regarding other teams who have approached this concept with a very open mind and are implementing the same to ensure that at any given point of time a pool of players are available to step up to the upper level i.e. international cricket. I am working on a book on Sri Lankan Cricket, and this concept has been exploited to the tee by that country. Having understood that their level of first-class cricket isn't the best in the world, Sri Lanka Cricket has been very active in the creation of A Teams and Developmental Squads. Whilst other teams were busy focussing on the World Cup, Sri Lanka A and Bangladesh A quietly played a series in Sri Lanka, whereby people who were omitted from the World Cup squad were handed an good run to impress the selectors all over again, if the situation of impending retirements has to arise. And the results of the successful A Team execution in Sri Lanka are there to see. Russell Arnold, who was missing from the scene for not less than 15 months, went through the grind of second team action to force his way back into the national scheme of things. Similarly, one of Sri Lanka's emerging one-day bats, Chamara Silva played his last game for Sri Lanka in 2002 in the Natwest Series before he came through the A Tours of New Zealand, India, West Indies and Bangladesh. The whole idea of an A team is perhaps based on the lines of a "Reserve XI" in football clubs, which is the way it should be. I suppose every team should have an A team which must play at least 75% cricket in every calender year, so that come the new season - the selectors are not faced with an eternal conundrum so as to make inflammatory statements like "We have no talent." Perhaps teams like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa do not need this sort of a back-up team as they churn out world-class talent year in and year out. But, to recount this, Hashim Amla made his way back to the SA team thanks to his dream run of centuries against a New Zealand A team. And perhaps, these teams send follow the Developmental Squad system - whereby they send 15 young players to countries where conditions are foreign to theirs, probably with one-eye on the future. And another way these teams do this is by sending them to participate in County cricket. Micheal Clarke played for Hampshire way back in 2004 and similarly Cameron White has been with Somerset for the past year. I reckon this could be the way forward for international teams to develop their talents. I also read an article yesterday suggesting that Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh are participating in a triangular Developmental Squad limited-overs trophy in Bangladesh. Why isn't India playing that tournament ? Was the World Cup such a big shock for Indian cricket, that it cant move on ? Or do we not have simply any talent as Vengsarkar once famously said ? I really wish we had participated in that tournament, with Sharad Pawar's India Blue team, because not only does it give them a good know-how of the conditions before that BIG, I mean BIG tour of Bangladesh, but also throws some names in the selector's notepad ! Why are we not a proactive nation when it comes to developing talents ? Or do we depend upon our great National Cricket Academy in Bangalore to produce some really World Class talent ? Or do we have enough money, that talent matters no more. All of these are absolutely unanswered questions.

And guess what ? Sri Lanka Cricket has taken an absolutely progressive step by awarding CONTRACTS for their A Team players and have a coach on contract - Chandika Hathurusinghe. We do not need to look at Australia to learn our systemic improvements. Look down South, and you'll have all the solutions.

I really hope, someone of your calibre as a cricket writer can help me and the country find out about the overall failure of the Board in taking such futuristic initiatives, so as to benefit Indian cricket.

Regards,

Venkat Ananth

Looking back in Anger

Call it a disgrace, a disaster, a debacle or perhaps even the death knell, no word in the Oxford English dictionary can perhaps stand up to describe India’s performance in the World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean. It was certainly a rude shock to a nation that expected its cricketers to go past the first stage, at least. India’s exit from the World Cup has certainly raised several questions, which to the best of my knowledge will remain unanswered, as that’s the way our system works – specifically, the BCCI.

Yes, this is a game of cricket – aptly described by purists as one of “glorious uncertainties” and frankly speaking, India was at the receiving end of the adage. But what followed the exit is more interesting than the short stay in Trinidad itself. The public ire against the team the day after was well documented by the media, without realizing that it was they who ballooned expectations into dreams and when shattered, shirked responsibility for the same and turned into bashers. Some of the images that we saw was indeed natural, but could have been avoided considering the fact that it was just a game of cricket and not a war that we lost.

Greg Chappell attributed this loss to a “collective failure” and I somehow can’t stop myself from calling it a systemic failure. It is all well to sit and criticize the team for their shocking performances, but at the end of the day – the BCCI has not yet come forward and taken equal blame for their role in this debacle. People are still keen on completing their two-year terms, without realizing that the future of the game is in question. On expected lines, Sharad Pawar came out the next day and rubbished claims of his resignation by calling it “an utter nonsense”. And, as per my observations, the BCCI is looking for scapegoats, who they could deflect the blame on. First they took an aim at the senior players, followed by the media and realizing that both parties were not standing up for themselves, blamed it on the World Cup format. What Ricky Ponting stated the other day, might evoke some instant reactions from eternal patriots like Sunil Gavaskar, but by doing that, they are running away from the grim reality of Indian cricket. Has Dilip Vengsarkar come out and put his papers yet ? Why ? As a Sharad Pawar loyalist, he’s getting his due mileage.

Perhaps, in hindsight, the appointment of Dilip Vengsarkar as the Chairman of Selectors was a move directed at chopping the wings of Greg Chappell. The very objective with which Chappell was drafted in as the coach was defeated, when they realized that the “free hand policy” had to be chopped or may be to satisfy some of Pawar’s detractors. That is how the BCCI functions anyway. If we go back to Kiran More’s stint at the selectoral helm, Greg Chappell was given enough autonomy to choose the team he felt could win matches, rather than external compulsions. Reading between the lines, Ganguly’s return also smells of Pawar’s intentions to mute Chappell’s growing influence within the team. But to Saurav’s credit, the man redeemed himself. When the time was ripe to take some harsh decisions, the BCCI turned into lambs. This is where we lost the World Cup and not against Sri Lanka. Veteran cricket writer Rajan Bala equally vindicates this claim, as Greg was disappointed with the make up of the World Cup squad. For a man who used to regularly come out and frankly state “Ignore youth at its own peril”, he was given a squad of old men, who had no more bones left in them to match the standards set by other teams. I am not saying if Suresh Raina or Mohammad Kaif would have won India the World Cup, but if selected back then, they would’ve certainly given their 200% on the field, where India looked absolutely hapless. And the way the Indian selection system functions, even crystal ball gazing would not predict our future.

Culturally and in cricket, we still suffer from the colonial hangover. Foreigners are perhaps ridiculed for whatever they’ve done and we associate ourselves with everything Indian, without realizing that we lag by 10 years than where they are. Which is why it seems easier to blame a Greg Chappell or an Ian Frazer for the World Cup loss than one among our own? What can Greg Chappell do if he’s presented with a bunch of perennial chokers? What can he do if his words have no weight age among selectors? What could Greg Chappell have done if the system turns against him than stand by him? And it seems extremely convenient for the media to turn him into a villain when the team loses and fail to credit him during the more successful days. That’s the double standards that we Indians are known for. And now, there are talks of an Indian coach. And the possible candidates – Sandeep Patil and Mohinder Amarnath. An Indian coach has always been known to bring some regional bias into his operations and this time it would be any different. After all, an Indian coach would have understood the system by now, enough to exploit it skilfully. I have nothing against them, but from what the past says – we’d be changing them like underwears. If great sporting teams like Manchester United have the guts to stick with Sir Alex Ferguson even after a trophyless season, I am sure Greg Chappell can be treated similarly. Coaches do not come with magic wands, sigh.

The media is another active participant in this whole game. The news media have just succumbed to their own expectations and cricket journalism in this country has never hit such a low. The debates in the mainstream news channels and newspapers are quite primary and do not seek credible solutions from their experts. When some channels flashed news about Sachin Tendulkar’s possible captaincy move, all they did was display statistics of his previous captaincy record and not a single channel, I repeat, not a single channel questioned the credibility of these reports. Some of the panelists for their discussion shows reflect a lot of dumbing down. For example, having a Sharad Pawar loyalist on any show means the BCCI keeps mum about some issues and justification of their claims or lets say, some actors and actresses. All of these augur well for the TRP. The well-respected Indian cricket intelligentsia is almost kept in the dark. And where is the objectivity? Yes, India is out of the World Cup – so what? The show must go on. This is where the English channels are placed relatively better than their Hindi counterparts. People like Madan Lal and Yashpal Sharma do not really lose their sheen as World Cup winners, but their opinions cater to the most basic and primary instincts of the audience, more simplified than others. The Hindi dozen brings in former cricketers, presumably from Delhi to analyze the game and their analysis revolves around “Should Gambhir have gone instead of Uthappa?” C’mon guys, mature up!

The advertisers play their part in building this hysteric balloon that we all are so used to. Pepsi have come up with a jinxed campaign and ever since their ads were on air, Team India is seeing a Billion Blues than otherwise. Personally speaking, I am not against celebrity endorsements one bit, as they have the right to it, but only after they realize that cricket comes first. Every cricketer in every country does it. Be it Adam Gilchrist for Castrol, or Muttiah Muralitharan for Lanka TVS – but for them, cricket comes first. Barring a few good men here, it’s the other way. If I am not mistaken, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has close to 15 products in his pocket. Why can’t these guys come up with the same performances on the grounds? Reality is that, they somehow like living in their own myths!

Indian cricket somehow needs to stand up and stare reality in its face. That’s the only way we can move forward. Getting rid of the coach and the captain would be a knee-jerk reaction on the parts of the power men. Instead of these peripheral issues, address the more integral one. To conclude, I’d rather be a Manchester United by sticking to Sir Alex Ferguson than a Real Madrid who regularly change their nappies !

Down Under the Doldrums...

Defeat and Australia do not share the same equation when it comes to sport, not least the game of cricket. But, their Trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand would have a different viewpoint on this aspect. Having successfully chased totals of well over 300 in consecutive matches, the Kiwis have rubbed some serious salt on the already existing wounds of the Aussies. The defeat means that the reigning World Champions relinquish their No.1 spot in the ICC ODI Rankings to incumbent South Africa and fly into the Caribbean with rock-bottom confidence and their pride at stake.

Its not common that an Australian outfit would surrender to their own problems this meekly. But thats the sad part of it. After having had a fantastic summer in Test cricket, the sort of confidence or call it arrogance that did them in came to the fore in the CB Series finals, where they failed to beat England, their little fancied rivals, not once but twice. Injuries is only one part of the problem. Not having the likes of Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee hurts for sure, but with a majority chunk of the Chappell-Hadlee squad being the World Cuppers, defeat was certainly something that could've been avoided. So where is the problem, are they over-estimating their own worth ? Or have other teams raised their level of intensity to match the Aussies. Well, its a vicious circle to which only time will have the answer for.

Ian Chappell in his column in Cricinfo writes, "Thanks to a dangerous mixture of arrogance and stupidity during the Commonwealth Bank Series, Australia fiddled rather than found their best combination." I would tend to agree with him on this, especially since it was a final of a major tournament at home, and any captain would've preferred fielding his World Cup combination minus Lee and Symonds to see how they handle big-match situations. It was really disappointing from a more Australian perspective, since they are known to do such things. Sadly, this attitude extended itself to the Chappell-Hadlee series, and the results are there to be seen.

If you ask me a couple of areas where the Aussies are going wrong, my view would be in terms of selection. What on earth is the best Australian fast bowler in the summer, Stuart Clark doing by playing for New South Wales in the Ford Rogers Cup ? He should probably be in the flight to Jamaica. Such selections are more of the touch-and-go kinds, but the Australians are feeling his absence for various reasons. The bowling line-up that will probably feature in the World Cup is going for 340 and 350 runs respectively in the two matches. Where is the mean and the miserly attack the world would be in awe of ? According to me, the second area of concern would be the lack of quality spinners in the line-up. The whole world knows the fact that the wickets in the Windies aren't the same as probably three decades back, and this team has only one spinner named - Brad Hogg. And as irony would have it, he's had to sit out the bulk of the Commonwealth Bank series doing twelfth man duties. Oh yes, the fielding bit - its just getting from bad to worse. We have been used to the Aussies setting high standards especially when it comes to fielding, but these days the sheen has come off a fair bit.

The only the saving grace at this moment today, is the batting line-up. Yes, there could be some cracks emerging there too, but as of now it is looking good with several in-form batsmen. The top-order seems to have gelled properly, with Gilchrist and Hayden leading the way. Ponting at three seems daunting for many an opposition and to consolidate the domination - Hodge, Hussey and Clarke. Shane Watson's injury-marred progress as an all-rounder is a concern but apart from that, Australia's best chance of hiding their blushes would be to put good scores on the board and HOPE that the bowlers defend it ! After all, an unbeaten 181 from Haydos wasn't good enough to see them through the Kiwis today.

It is certainly back to basics time for the defending Champions. Ideally, they would have preferred avoiding this situation from arising, but now that it has, finding answers and solutions is the only way ahead. Mike Hussey claims the spirit of the squad being intact, which sounds superficial for starters, but with the Aussie teams, you never know. Having dug a hole for themselves just ahead of the World Cup, only confidence and not over, only common-sense and not stupidity (as Chappelli would have it) can help Australia resurrect their worst slump in almost over a decade.

A Slap on Indian Cricket

It was exactly a week ago, when the whole of India came together to fight its image, pride and global identity through Jade Goody's antics against Shilpa Shetty in a television show. Exactly three days back, an irate Indian fan showed how intolerant a country we can be when it comes to foreigners. It may have been a slap on Greg Chappell for not including any Orissa cricketer, but the larger issue here is how choosy we can be when it comes to race and identity. In fact, Biranchi Maharana, the culprit is as good or as bad as Jade Goody, as going by what he says, he "chose Greg Chappell because he was Australian". Through the uproars last week and this incident barely 72 hours ago, India has taken one step forward and five steps back.

The incident should not have taken place in the first instance and now that it has, it reflects poorly on Orissa as a secure state and its public's frustration over something they do not control. If I remember right, the Chief Minister of Orissa, Naveen Patnaik was rated as the best CM in a poll conducted by a television channel. This is not the first time that an Australian became a casualty in the state. Perhaps, the Oriya public are somewhat allergic to Aussies, for reasons they themselves know. Circa 1997 was when an Australian missionary Graeme Steins was charred to death by certain extremists of the Bajrang Dal who were against Christian conversions.

Security is another concern that bewilders me. We take extreme care to protect our superstars like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, but do we really care about the support staff ? Or is it just too foreign for their liking ? The Orissa Police may have been embarrassed through this incident, but it certainly raises questions about intentions of the Government. In 2005 and 2006, I witnessed this whole security affair myself at Pune and Mumbai. At the Taj Blue Diamond Hotel in Pune, some of the senior players of the team were walking through an intense security cordon, surrounded by cops on four sides, whereas younger players like Suresh Raina and RP Singh were left unguarded. Not to mention, Ian Frazer and Greg Chappell. Even during the 3rd test against England in Mumbai, the situation wasn't any different. Why this double standards when it comes to this team ? Is it because they are foreigners and should be treated differently ? The Board alone knows.

Another issue that was exposed through this barbaric act was the state of Orissa cricket. Honestly, I couldn't care any less if a guy from Orissa is not playing for Team India. Yes, Orissa has been playing some decent cricket for a while now, but how many of their cricketers have it in them to play for the country ? The answer is none. Some of them came, promised and faded away. Debashish Mohanty is in most ways the torch-bearer of Orissa cricket, but what has he contributed to Indian cricket ? Sanjay Raul was another guy who managed to don Indian colors, but did he do anything significant ? No. Shib Sunder Das was perhaps the most impressive cricketer to come out of that state. However, he too faded away after Wasim Jaffer and Deep Dasgupta grabbed their chances in the West Indies-England tour of 2002. Since then Orissa cricket has been languishing in the Plate League, and having qualified for the Elite Division for the next season, it is upto them to get noticed and satisfy the likes of Biranchi Maharana. To add on, Ranjib Biswal from the Orissa Cricket Association had a stint as a national selector from the East Zone. If he himself couldn't identify enough talent in that state, how can one irate maniac ?

To sum up, the wild demeanour of one individual shouldn't be the benchmark for judging a state or a country. A banner by some Orissa fans in the match at Cuttack yesterday which said "Greg, We are Sorry" is a reflection of how the people of Orissa and India see this incident as. One hopes that such incidents won't be repeated all over again. It is indeed an eye opener for many - the administrators, the fans and the security authorities. For now, with India having won the game at Cuttack, the wounds of the slap might have healed, but one cannot hold back himself by calling this act as a "slap on Indian cricket" !

My Second Coming Too..

Raving about Saurav Ganguly's determination and grit does not stop me from apologizing to my readers for the lack of substance that was visible on the blog. I was handling some major professional and academic assignments that did not make it easy for me to slot in time to write on the topics. I am sure, in the coming days and weeks - the blog shall see a splurge of articles on various issues, largely concerning Asian cricket.

Cheers,
Venkat Ananth

The Rebirth - Ganguly's Second Coming !

This time last year, the sacked Indian captain Saurav Ganguly was yet to recover from the saga that perhaps stunned Indian cricket - his sacking. Speculations were rife over his future and instead of gearing himself for his cricketing assignments, the man was facing mordacious balderdash from the Indian media. Sympathy surrounded him and even his daughter couldn't refrain herself from questioning his non-presence in Team India. Somewhere, the prowess conflicted itself with the hunger and things did not work his way. Time decided to move on and so did Indian cricket. Change did it for him, perhaps.

Today, life has indeed come a full circle for Dada. Change did it for him, again. The selection committee's decision to include him for the South African tour did raise many eyebrows but having seen the first Test, Dilip Vengsarkar was spot on ! There were shades of freshness in the way he went about his business, having seen the dynamics of what Team India missed due to his absence. There was a certain method, largely unassociated with the Ganguly game. The pair of eyes were lensed with a never-before determination and application followed. The flamboyance took a back-seat and all that he'd learned or unlearned in the past 10 months was put into practice. To be on the franker side of the divide, I was quite skeptical of Ganguly's selection, let alone inclusion. But thanks to a string of big scores for both Bengal and East Zone, he put himself on the selector's notepad, and then it was a mere formality. This was the Ganguly I was expecting, not the one who lived on his past laurels or political proximity or for that matter the captain's job ! The difference is the mental psyche with which he approached the game. For a world-class player who was on the wane, talent was never going to be an issue. If any, how he took the setback in his stride and worked his way in shows the mental effort on the part of Saurav. For people who feel that Ganguly's selection is the biggest slap on Chappell's face or ego, think again. In hindsight, such tough decisions could define Indian cricket.

I for one recall a newspaper report, highly Kolkattan by nature, talking about how Dada used his privileged club membership at East Bengal during these beleaguered times to return as a fully fit cricketer. However degraded the Indian football league maybe, the emphasis on fitness in football is n-times more than what these cricketers go through. Injuries formed another cloud in his sky, with claims of "tennis-elbow", but he saw it with the straight face of the bat and proved himself all over again. During his pre-sacking days, merit distanced itself from the man and there was an environment of change that he found uncomfortable dealing with. The coaching staff, the administration and even the functioning styles of these two entities was something he could not handle, and as Chappell says, "We felt that a time off from cricket was the best thing for him." Even during the county stint at Northamptonshire, under Kepler Wessels, Saurav did not exactly set the County circuit on fire, but at least ensured that he resorted to better regimens of fitness and emerged a much focused cricketer. To be honest, I don't think Saurav would have learned more in his 10 years of International cricket than this 10 months in virtual hibernation.

As a cynic, I made this statement not so long ago to my friend "You do not make comebacks at 33", but Ganguly proved me wrong. If his contributions start gaining more meaning within the setup, it won't be before long that he would have booked his ticket to the Caribbean. For now, the passion seems to be back, the hunger for success is well on its way up the graph and the desire to claim this re-birth with both hands on an all-time high. Cynically speaking, Saurav has proved no one wrong, including Greg Chappell but proved him right. I am sure his colleagues Zaheer Khan and VVS Laxman will agree. Scores of 51* and 25 will remain longer in public memory than some his earlier knocks. After all, along with Team India, it was Saurav's grit, patience and determination that won the first Test.

Why John is (W)right !

Why John is (W)right !

As soon as it was launched, I managed to pick up a copy of Indian Summers, the memoirs of John Wright’s stint as the coach of Team India. I wouldn’t call it the most authoritarian work on Indian cricket, but with the premise being largely personal, it gives us a worm’s-eye view of how cricket is seen by outsiders. It makes good reading for the understanding of how the system functions, the chaos, the politics and the power. Wright reinforces the commonly held belief of a defunct zonal selection system stronger than ever and even as I say, it is time to rid it off – question marks have risen over a few selections for the Champions Trophy, especially one pertaining to Sreesanth.

To be very frank, I read this book as more of a journey than a mere turn of pages – where John tried to remind me about some of the key moments of his tenure, through a lively description of the games, which makes interesting reading. I have myself resorted to some criticism of Wright’s stint, but this book gives an in depth insight into how he had to fight the dark holes of the Indian cricket system and yet delivered. I find it hard to believe that towards the latter part of his time as the Indian coach, he was at the end of some rather unwanted criticism from the media, public and of course the “former players union”.

After reading the work, John Wright has quite aptly listed some problems that need to be sorted out sooner than later if Indian cricket has to make it to the next level. It certainly did not need a book to remind our moneybags about the state of Indian cricket. When John writes about an unknown person (possibly a journalist) from Kolkata calling him to inform his appointment as the Coach of India, it was a shocker – it sounds aghast to see no levels of professionalism from the Board. Second incident involved not giving John a contract. I mean how on earth can you hire, especially a foreigner without giving him a contract to work under? Sounds absurd, but that’s Indian cricket for you. Often, the off-the field wrangles generate more interest than the matches we play in. Oh and yes, the fact that he had to put up with the mega Board elections by doubling up as Manager and coach for one home series shows how dependent the system is on votes and loyalties. What’s worse, it was his first series as coach of the team.

I remember interviewing a former media manager of the Australian team, Jonathan Rose and he made a very valid point when he said “Your cricket team is a mirror image of how your Board is. Cricket Australia believes and practices professionalism thoroughly and so does our team”. Put it in the Indian context and you’ll probably fill a page with question marks. Professionalism does not merely mean install a CEO with strings tied over his head. In the Indian context, it seems hard to define. It may not also mean having a website. It could probably refer to building a conducive environment where everyone is taken care of – the players, the administrators, the fans, the officials. Cricket Australia practices this to the T. How shocking is it to know that common fans like you and me form just 10% of a ticket sales during a one-day international in India ? Ask where the rest of the money goes, and the answer is “loyalists, police commissioners, big politicians” etc ! Oh, have you heard of truck owners being managers of a cricket team ? Probably yes! John Wright mentions about a Maharashtra heavyweight, who became manager of the team, but by profession was a truck owner ! Why don’t we get it ? We need a full-time manager, someone in the mould of a Michael Tissera from Sri Lanka, Steve Bernard from Australia or even Goolam Rajah of South Africa. These guys have been around for ages ! Wright sees it as an award for the loyalty shown by the association towards the powerhouse, which to a large extent is true and unfortunate. I may draw some flak from the BCCI for this, but both me and John Wright know that we are correct.

How about opening another can of worms ? The selection system ! Mention it and you get thoughts like “Arghhh…they did it again !”. Here too, Wright makes valid points worth notice. He says that selectors discuss about who not to select for hours together rather than who to select. The North-South divide often makes more talking than Team India ! The Zonal system was, is and will always be prone to bias, especially with the reputation of the association at stake. But is this the way we select champion teams ? The answer is a loud NO. The pressure on these selectors, often middlemen, is absolutely inevitable. For example, if Kiran More was asked a question on dropping Sreesanth, he’d probably give the same boring answer saying “He is certainly in our minds for the future. We have decided to rest him”. Its time the Indian public gets tired of this shutout and there is a need by the media to create public opinion about the professionalization of the selection system. This has been the demand ever since eternity though. But who wants to lose out on votes ? If their player does well, it means approval from the association and hence a big fat job in the Board. Who says it’s a tough job ? John Wright doesn’t !

Oh ! And who can forget the brigade of former cricketers. This seems like an obsession all over the world, but the brigade is much much stronger in India and the subcontinental countries. They become best friends when the team is succeeding and turn their backs on you when things go haywire. How can you function in such a system ? Some of these guys have coached the team before and hence try and suggest things and maybe boost their candidature, but unfortunately they cant ! its more of an ego problem than anything else. Some of the fiercest critics of Greg Chappell now have been these television experts and its so absurd seeing them change weather from the last six months, when the team has turned out leaner than before. If they knew what to do with the team, why don’t they make good coaches ? It becomes so easy to say “Sehwag should have batted like this, played a shot like that” but did they do it during their tenure ? No ! And yes, seeing a foreign coach as a white-skinned-man who has come to make India his own and some of these experts bringing the strong jingoistic claims of a need for an Indian coach is often seen. I do not know if these airwaves will stop sometime, but that’s the problem in a democracy – you often get away with whatever you say ! I mean how could you condone Sanjay Jha’s public outcry of Chappell last October by calling him a “Godzilla” ? Atrocious, I say !

John Wright may have not given us the results we desired or expected from him, but has certainly shown us the way forward. I used to call him the “Naïve New Zealander”, who believed in going about the job in his own way, his own pace, but this book brings a no-holds-barred approach from the man, which should be lauded. It’s a must read for fans, who look at cricket beyond the 11 demi-gods and are willing to know the harsh realities of the system here. This is not advertising of any sort, but a genuine recommendation from a critic of Wright himself. Its time this book finds a place in the library of every cricket association and the bookshelf of every Board member. That’s the only way Indian cricket can quite “literally” move forward !

Extraaa Nonsense : Where Cricket Weds Crap

Extraaa Innings is back on air ! This seems to be the nth time I am making this statement, but all thanks to Sony Entertainment Televisions's ridiculous policy, it wont stop until the 2007 World Cup is over - thats an assurance ! The only difference this time is that the crap has got crappier and Mandira and Charu have become too inane to switch on the TV sets. Its time cricket gets rid of these elements who seek gracious time to punch their visibility and seek roles. I mean, let cricketers analyse the game not some airhead chicks who did not know what cricket was unless they were offered a ransom by the television channel. Oh, and what on earth is someone like Rohit Roy doing there ? I tend to think he's an absolute disaster at whatever he does (refer Nach Baliye last year) and his constant concern at Dada's exclusion from the team just adds a bit of murkiness about the whole guy.

Now lets get to the show. There is this audacious tarot card reader, who always seems to get it wrong. This was the same lady who predicted India's win in the World Cup of 2003, and the rest is recorded history. Alright, they have the astrologer there, but what dominates the conversations is questions like "Will Mandira have a good Bollywood future ?" ! Holy heavens, are we watching a cricket preview show or weird attempt at trivializing the game ? Absolute rubbish ! Oh and the Maruti ride with Mandira and Charu, seems quite misplaced. Such visuals at best are condemnable, one feels ! How can the Indian audience, the so-called intellectual audience which knows to measure trash and sense accept such a comical approach to cricket ? Shocking!

What is even more unnerving is the India element. I mean, the high emotional ground these anchors gain when they chant the word "I-n-d-i-a", which to a large extent, pisses me off ! It gets too emotionally wound up, that a semblance of objectivity is almost cancelled at the first go, which is absolutely unfortunate. Compare this with a Channel 9 or an ESPN-Star Presentation and you'd probably know how inanely designed show this is. No doubt there is some element of patriotism in these shows, but where Extraaa Innings distinguishes itself is through the use of absolutely unrequired "in-studio jingoism". That brings me into questioning the use of female anchors for cricket. Sexist, as it may sound to readers, I do not feel the need for oomph in cricket and especially when these so-called anchors read through a whole chunk of Cricinfo updates all through the night and come up with questions that sound rather stupid. Oh, no doubt it is one more shot at bagging a Bollywood role for all you and I care (and it sounds better than casting couches too). Mandira's use as an ad-doll also seems rather stupid. All she does is lend her squeaky voice to some of the ads that sponsor segments. I bet, she might have come up with 50 "brought to you bys" in one episode. Her cleavage or whatever she seems to wear attracts more attention than what she tends to talk - such is the low sinking nature of cricket presentation these days. I am sure the Harshas and the Wilkins' must be tearing their hairs apart (if any).

Charu Sharma, who started off as a promising presenter has also a huge part of the blame to share. He was perhaps seen earlier as a man who could restore some sense into the proceedings, but as it has progressed from time to time, Charu has fallen into the trap of bringing in these emotional rants about India and more or less wraps his thoughts with a degree of plasticity. Even in his show the Fourth Umpire, he morphed his thoughts with some elements of extreme patriotism, which exposed his credibility to analyse matches as an expert. Its getting to a stage where, the viewer can almost predict the script given to him, which makes it dull ! Beating around the bush is his forte, he talks too much about things that are absolutely inconsequential to the match and he whatever he talks makes sense only to him ! I mean who gives a f*** if he spent his childhood days in Rajasthan or Sikkim, as it does not justify a good cricket match. He's just nailed himself on the presenter front. As someone who was seen as a decent competition to Harsha, Charu has just taken five steps back ! If he has to get any closer to Harsha, he better get out of shows like Extraaa Innings and the Fourth Umpire. The only time I found him to make sense was during the couple of tennis tournaments he did for Star Sports and Ten Sports respectively. Though, that jingoistic element didnt get off him, especially when he made repeated remarks about Sania Mirza, he sounded effective if not pleasing.

Its time cricket presenting takes a serious step forward. We do not need ladies who just make appearances to attract the cricket-watching male or twist their libidos during a cricket match. All we need is a host of good analysts, who take the viewer beyond the happenings of the game and put in real perspective in whatever they are talking. Bias is as inevitable as Mandira showing off her cleavage, but if these hosts can keep the bias away in their homes, it will make cricket watching a good experience. We need to learn from other countries with this regard too. Cricket presentation is serious stuff. Cricket itself is entertainment, but more importantly its a sport. If we are equating cricket to entertainment in the real sense, we are wrong. Cricket is more unpredictable than what could happen in a prime time daily soap. It can never wed entertainment. But, as Extraaa Innings has proved over the few years its been on air, cricket is made to wed crap and crap of the highest order !

Statutory Warning : Please switch off your television sets from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm to avoid this show. Ignorance of this warning could lead to a mental disorder that would take years to get out of !

All Opened Up !

Yes folks, the Champions Trophy is up and running. Despite the certain reservations I have had about the intentions behind the tournament, it is slowly moving towards a climax that would rather seem unpredictable. With 8 teams vying for glory in this tournament, it now seems very difficult to pick a definite winner ! Some of the results that the tournament has witnessed has surely justified the nature of one-day cricket, which is now "On-the-Day" cricket. Australia succumbed meekly to some intensified West Indian pressure, while Abdul Razzaq's gusto finish made all the difference between a bigger setback and a victory for Pakistan. Pundits have gone through the various permutations and combinations to see who goes through from their respective groups. It will be a case of luck, on-the-day performance and calculations that will take four of the 8 teams through.

More on Champions Trophy to follow...

Voila...ICC Champions Trophy 2006 Beckons !!

Finally, the drought of a big tournament has ended ! After spending 10 years in wilderness, it is now India's turn to play host for the 5th edition of the Champion's Trophy. It is indeed ironical that the country which mooted this concept in the first place gets its due after the tournament has managed to create a niche for itself. When it started off, perhaps the intentions of the ICC were sounding straight and clear - to create a common platform for all teams and use this to catalyse their future. But now after 8 years, things have taken a 360-degree turn and its more of the commerce that rules the roost and not competition. Its not been a smooth ride after all, considering the marketing and endorsement chaos of 2002. Perhaps, those were the first signals of a long and well-planned commercial venture the ICC invested into four years back then. It may not completely turn into a farcical event just yet, but faces a pretty bleak future in the days and years to come, especially with the invasion of 20/20 being a good money-spinner for the Boards and the ICC.

As far as preparations are concerned, India has been on the dot, since the very day the clearances by the Government and subsequently the tournament was announced. But what should seem murky, is the law that the ICC has chartered, which does not allow "sponsored" stadiums to host any ICC-oriented matches. Which is why quality stadiums like the Chinnasawamy Stadium and the Chepauk have felt the ditch this time. Having said that, it does give an opportunity to other good stadiums in the country to prop up their standards and create an international feel about them. With Mohali being voted as the best stadium in the sub-continent and listed as one of the four centres for the Champion's Trophy, expectations will surely reach the limit, and it is about time Indian stadiums realize the need for recognition, especially in spectator management and hardcore infrastructure. It will give an opportunity for these stadiums to be rated and know where they stand on the international radar. Another positive to come out is the revival of the Brabourne Stadium at the Cricket Club of India, Mumbai. It has been 11 years since the last game was played there and a place that used to be regarded as the Lords of Asia, will soon bear the new look, with bucket-seats and floodlights simmering over the action ! Perhaps an indication of how tradition can merge itself with the needs of change, especially in the new age.

One of the major grudges that foreign teams have when they come to India is the business of traveling. To some extent, their grievances have been looked into by the BCCI and the ICC while the selection of the venues. The tournament will bear a more Western look as teams will shuttle between Ahmedabad, Mohali, Jaipur and Mumbai, cutting across four states that figure in an almost straight line on the political map of the country. So lesser connecting flights, more time in the nets and more action is all that this edition promises. To be on the franker side, I perceive this tournament to be a rough one for teams that are traditional strugglers in the sub-continent. Mainly because the wickets during this part of the year in India will probably assist slower bowlers as the season has not yet got underway and with constant rain in places like Mumbai, the curators may have just compromised a tiny bit on the nature of the pitches. It should be a traditional sub-continental pancaked belter, but also expect some sharp turn and tennis ball bounce if you are a non-Asian team.

Evaluating it critically, one of the main problems of this tournament is the lack of focus of some teams when they especially play this tournament. Australia have mentally resigned themselves to playing the Champion's Trophy to avoid huge sanctions and the signals coming from their side is very clear. The Ashes forms about 95% priority in their minds today - which clearly is a reflection of their mindset about the tournament per-se. England have named an experimental squad for this series, ensuring that their key players will be rested before the Ashes. Which is exactly why I said earlier, that this tournament is losing its competitive value and teams are participating in it just to get a share of the ICC revenue pie and be happy. Not that this tournament has proven to be a great platform per-se for teams going into major series etc. West Indies won the last edition, with a great amount of luck one would feel, but they have failed miserably to kick on from then. New Zealand (2000) is perhaps the only team that considers this trophy a holy one, because of its failure to win major tournaments and the same would hold true for South Africa in the inaugural version in 1998.

Add to that the inappropriate timing of the event - when most teams have just begun their seasonal cricket, barring England. I would not be surprised one bit if certain teams fail to fire as they normally would and expose the rust they have acquired by not playing enough of match-oriented cricket. This turns into a positive for some others who would capitalize on these matches as practice games for bigger tournaments in the future - especially considering high-intensity series like the Ashes. Do not be surprised if Australia get rated as the favourites, but get knocked out of the group stages or the Semis, they have a larger task on hand at home ! And remember, big teams win bigger trophies - a reason why Australia in the Champion's Trophy have regularly suffered in at the hands of teams they would otherwise decimate.

All in all, this tournament promises to be an entertainer, with the likes of Mandira Bedi always "charming" the screen and the likes of Kapil Dev stuttering some straw-hat English. With the marketers of the tournament doing a good job, especially with the advertising, it is of no doubt that cricket turns entertainer for a month. The format seems to be a bit skewed, but it only adds to the drama and the anxiety of cricket lovers. On a personal note, I back the form teams, two from the sub-continent to make the Semi-Finals, whereas the other teams may just struggle to tie two ends together here, partly due to focus and largely due to the conditions. For India, its a big tournament - one that can provide their World Cup charge some impetus, a direction, which will reinforce the faith and the belief that many of us have laid on our team. But, from the 8 teams in the race, may the best horse win !

A Roar of Revival ?

A Roar of Revival ?

The roars of warning are clearly out. Having beaten England comprehensively in the 3rd and final Test at Trent Bridge, the Sri Lankans have already sounded the alarm of resurgence. At last, there seems to be a conscious effort to raise the standards of their cricket every game and it won’t be before long that these efforts will be translated into notable results. Tom Moody’s one-year in charge of the islanders has finally seen a high-point. A test win away from home is not the easiest thing to achieve for an Asian team, barring Pakistan, but as they did in 1998 at the Oval, such victories have had their own say in galvanizing and rejuvenating the spirit in the Sri Lankan camp.

A major question that might torment the average fan of Sri Lanka cricket would be, if this is just a phase or is it real transformation they have shown from the previous 6 months ? To start off, in the past 6-8 months of Tom Moody’s tenure, he had nothing much to show in terms of results, except for a few wins here and there, that too against teams like West Indies and Bangladesh. They had a forgettable tour of India, where putting 300 runs was a mammoth task by itself. Then came a tour to New Zealand, where resistance was visible to an extent, but not worth an outcome. As the pundits of the modern game claim, a tour of Australia is a toughening experience, for both the team and the individual player. It surely rubbed off in Bangladesh, where they surprisingly encountered competition from the home side, before a string of mistakes from the home side gifted the Lankans with two wins. One perceived the loss to Bangladesh in an ODI, as a low point in their journey towards a successful metamorphosis, but then the even bigger loss to Pakistan ensured that Sri Lanka go through a month of introspection before the English tour kicked off.

Here they are now with a new blood of spirit flowing through their veins, a new wave of confidence taking them through to the shore and a tough side, for whom results are just a matter of extending this exuding confidence to its logical conclusion. Having fought off a brave English challenge and perhaps achieving the unthinkable by drawing the first test might have played catalyst to this revival. A loss without fight at Edgbaston did not faze them one bit as they virtually saw through a hapless position to rout England at Trent Bridge. Maybe, this is just the beginning. Surely, Tom Moody & Co have a lot more to offer to the world.

As for the positives from whatever has transpired in Sri Lankan cricket this summer, firstly, Mahela Jayawardena’s appointment as captain as surely infused a sense of innovation and youth to this team. He is by far their best batsman at the moment, and as far as his short stint as a captain is concerned, it looks astute to the tee. Secondly, the coming back of Sanath Jayasuriya from retirement has surely had its say in reinforcing the faith and the belief within the camp. The young brigade of Sri Lankan batsmen in Chamara Kapugedara, Upul Tharanga and Michael Vandort now have a senior figure in a mentoring role to look up to and his presence in the dressing room will surely be a big enough lift the team was looking for. Lastly, for once Sri Lanka has shown signs of playing as a team, rather than relying too heavily on individuals like Vaas, Muralitharan and Jayasuriya. There is a sense of responsibility that has creeped into this team, which can only usher a good future.

Most teams only need a small yet meaningful win to trigger their revival. There are stiffer challenges ahead of this Sri Lankan team at the moment leading to the world cup. It will be imperative for them not to get too buoyant about their achievements and lose the plot when it matters. It wouldn’t be too incorrect to say that Sri Lanka are peaking at the right time, but what will test them is maintaining this good run of form. The test series against South Africa at home will prove to be another examination for this promising bunch of Sri Lankans. And, the tri-series to follow will be a test of their consistency and form.

Sri Lankan cricket has quite often flattered to deceive. With a rich wealth of raw talent in their wings, it is time they deliver against quality opposition. Beating teams like Bangladesh and West Indies might win them a series, but will only result in insecurity of belief when it comes to playing the best. One surely hopes that Sri Lanka can overcome their odds, whatever little they might have at the moment and become a force to reckon with, come West Indies 2007!

Sport's Poor Old Cousins

It has indeed taken four years to remind the world about what one sport can do in bringing everyone together. While the World Cup in Germany has done more than enough to grasp and glue the viewers' attention, other games are quite perceivably falling behind. The other day, I got an SMS from my mate, who wanted updates from the tennis match between Nadal and Lubijic ! Unfortunately, the tennis fan in me took a backseat and it took me no time to put my football jersey on, and that poor friend was perhaps distraught me being naive to the courts ! Another fine incident that I can personally relate to was the choice between the slack cricket match between India and the West Indies or the gruelling encounter between England and Paraguay. Obviously, being an English fan, my hands held sway from the remote and cricket got termed into a lagger, of course with no regrets.

It must be known that apart from the Olympics, the World Cup has a larger appeal. The Olympics is more of a worldwide phenomenon and automatically the 200-odd countries participating in them have their people gripped with anxiety, enthusiasm and passion. But, football unravels a different yet charming story. Having put through the grind in the qualifiers, 191 teams try and vouch for the 31 vacant spots in the Finals (the hosts are automatic qualifiers). And once these teams qualify for the World Cup, there is a telling hysteria that grips their respective nation. A hysteria that blends itself with an acute amount of anxiety and an equal amount of expectation. And what more, the marketing of the game has been done in a professional and immaculate manner that even the non-qualifying nations have a large say in the viewership charts. For example, even with cricket being the number-one sport in the sub-continent, there are little takers for the ongoing India vs West Indies matches as compared to the FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Another question it raises is about other sports - like tennis, cricket, golf and the second most popular sport after football - F1, vying for their share of viewership ? The worst affected sport seems tennis. I am sure given the current hype and hoopla about Germany, France's very own Roland Garros seems a smaller place to be in. Tennis in its own way has given birth to many a rivalries, and none bigger than the emerging one between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Be it the off-court mouth-slinging or be it the intense baseline battles, this contest has surely exceeded expectations and promises to enthrall its takers. Another sport that would feel the heat would be F1. Apart from football and to an extent tennis, F1 has a large following all over the world and will surely lose its ground to football when it comes to viewership. And if the race collides with some of the matches, it will have a few loyalists glued to the TV sets, but there is a heavy chance of defection of passions to football ! Cricket, most certainly bites the dust in the sub-continent, with India's tour of Windies going hand-in-hand with the kick-off timings at Germany. It will be a challenge to red-card this immense sense of euphoria that has surrounded the world.

This World Cup will surely be the grandest of them all. And five matches down, it is already becoming a World Cup - where goals will be scored, players will be booked and of course as proved by Trinidad & Tobago yesterday, unscripted stories will be written. It has surely achieved its goal in galvanizing the world through its motto of "Its time to make friends" ! The FIFA World Cup 2006, even though in its initial formative stages has left a huge unerasable mark on the viewer that only threatens to grow as the tournament moves on...

'Ali' Unplugged

‘Ali’ Unplugged :

South African cricket has given the world some truly legendary personalities. One of them is Dr. Aron ‘Ali’ Bacher. Having represented his country both as a player and an administrator with immense success, Dr. Bacher was in India as a consultant to a South African based company for electronic scoreboards – ‘Stellavista’. Venkat Ananth caught up with him at the Coffee Shop of the Cricket Club of India, Mumbai.

Venkat : Dr. Bacher to the present generation is a chapter from a story book. I, for one haven’t seen you play, but as far as I know, Dr. Bacher was one of South Africa’s best captains of all time. How do you look back at those years as the man who pioneered South African cricket ?

Dr. Bacher : I played around 12 Test matches for South Africa between 1959 to 1974. As a captain of the South Africans, we played Australia in a four-test series in 1969-70 and thrashed them 4-0 at home. Apart from these international matches, I represented Transvaal for 14 years in the domestic competitions. And, I was one of the youngest captains in the first class scene in South Africa, until Hansie Cronje took charge of Free State at the age of 19 or so.

Venkat : You were an astute captain during your playing days and one of the best known administrators cricket has seen. Was management natural to you ? Or you learnt the art as you progressed during your cricket ?

Dr. Bacher : Yes. I did enjoy being a leader. As a schoolboy, I always wanted to lead people, in whichever sport – cricket, tennis or soccer. I was always seen as someone who liked motivating the lads and enjoyed helping people during tough times. I think leadership can be put down as an ingrained quality within me.

Venkat : Your first brush with a major controversy was the organizing of the Rebel tours during the 1980s. Twenty-five years on, do you in anyway regret for doing so ?

Dr. Bacher : If I could take you back to the scene in the 80’s, there were very restrictive laws. The blacks would oppose tours and most often than not, the organizers would be put behind bars. We always were living with this false sense of security, because we thought that everyone was happy with these games being played. When the Gatting rebel tour occurred in 1989, the then President of South Africa, FW de Klerk announced some amount of freedom of speech and expression. That’s when the blacks came out in numbers and protested the tour. Yes, in retrospect, I would’ve thought twice before organizing such tours.

Venkat : The match-fixing will be the biggest yet irremovable blot on South Africa cricket. Does the ghost of 1999-00 still come back and haunt you ? Do you feel things could’ve been handled much better in this regard ?

Dr. Bacher : When this match fixing saga came into the fore, I took immediate action by setting up a commission of enquiry under Edwin King. It was indeed a moment of national shame and a big moment of shock when Hansie Cronje confessed to it. The entire issue was handled to the best of our abilities. We were transparent, especially when we allowed cameras to take pictures of the proceedings. I drew a lot of criticism for not defending Hansie Cronje during this time, but as the managing director of the board, I had to stand for credibility. My personal view regarding the match fixing episode was that it was not only in South Africa that this was going on, but all over the sub-continent.

Venkat : What are your personal views on the Boje and Gibbs controversy ? Are you of the opinion that they should visit India and co-operate with the investigating authorities ?

Dr. Bacher : I am very confident that Nicky Boje was not a party to match-fixing. In my personal interactions with Nicky, his body language was very confident and did not give me indications to suggest he was guilty. As far as Gibbs is concerned, he admitted to match-fixing and subsequently, the Board did the right thing by handing him over a ban of 6 months. I am not very happy with the way the issue has been handled by both the boards. I feel that both Governments should step into the matter and resolve it as soon as possible. I can empathize with Herschelle and Nicky, as they could be subject to intense media harassment to go with the police and investigating authorities in India.

Venkat : How and to what extent do you feel that the World Cup in 2003 has helped South Africa, both in cricket and non-cricketing terms ? Was it the ideal tonic the game could’ve asked for to boost its popularity ?

Dr. Bacher : The entire country was charged up and galvanized during those two months. There was immense unity between all the ethnic communities in South Africa. Although, the majority of the crowds who came to the cricket were whites, the coloured (includes blacks and Asians) preferred to watch it on television. The very fact that such an event graced our country has surely been a catalyst to cricket’s popularity.

Venkat : Cricket, as a social phenomenon in South Africa has gradually progressed from a rather white-centric sport to a mass and now raceless sport. Are coloured players like Gibbs, Amla, Prince, Ntini etc, soon turning into role-models for the youth in general and writing a new chapter in South African cricket ?

Dr. Bacher : Not really. I would have liked to see more blacks at the top i.e. international level. Hashim Amla is surely one for the future, but as far as the black players go, Makhaya Ntini is certainly the number one today. I hope our team one day is filled with several top quality coloured players in order to reflect the true racial balance that South Africa is actually made up of.

Venkat : What are your views about the current domestic structure in practice in South Africa ? Is the reduction of teams a good way to increase the competitiveness ?

Dr. Bacher : I do not think the reduction of the number of teams has helped in increasing the competitiveness. Today, with so much of international cricket being played, the key players i.e. players who represent South Africa hardly play domestic cricket. I personally feel that is one of the better ways to increase competitiveness. If I went back to my playing days, every South African cricketer represented his province. And each and every match I played in the span of 14 years was absolutely competitive. Unless the Kallis’ and the Pollocks step up into the domestic scene regularly, I do not think the standards can be raised.

Venkat : As a former Chief Organizer, what would be the ideal advice you would give to your West Indian colleagues ?

Dr. Bacher : Firstly, they should avoid comparing our (South Africa) World Cup to theirs, mainly because of the difference in the region. They can leave their mark by producing facilities of international standards. I often wonder how the West Indies produce truly great cricketers with such poor facilities. I am sure that by improving the overall infrastructure and with the carnival-like atmosphere that already exists, the West Indies could give the World a tournament, which they are unlikely to forget.

Venkat : What future do you see for African cricket ? Especially with Zimbabwe in a turmoil, Kenya – lack of proper domestic structure/new administration ? Is South Africa, the big brother playing an active role in the diffusion of crises and promotion of cricket in the continent ?

Dr. Bacher : As far as Zimbabwe is concerned, it is nothing but a self-inflicted conflict. Kenya is a totally different case altogether. As the Development Officer of the ICC, I initiated a process where Kenya acquired an official One-Day International status. What followed later was disheartening. They were hardly given any exposure against the top teams inspite of being World Cup semi-finalists.

Venkat : How do you see South African cricket in the next 10 years ? Can you see some shades of your captaincy in Graeme Smith ?

Dr. Bacher : Graeme Smith comes across as a young and dynamic personality with a lot of character and determination to do well for his country. He has made some mistakes on the way, but that’s the advantage of being young. One hopes he could learn from them and become a better leader and cricketer in the near days to come. And as far as the future for South Africa is concerned, it looks very bright.

Venkat : South African sport in general has taken a notch ahead when it comes to organizing World Cups. How do you think these events will change South Africa’s image in the world ?

Dr. Bacher : It has been very positive thus far, though the biggest is yet to come. The only reason why we have been successful enough to host these World Cups is that we have good infrastructure, good facilities like airports, hotels etc. and of course stadia of international standards. Cricket and rugby have most certainly helped change South Africa’s image in the minds of the people, but the most-awaited and the biggest event will be the Soccer World Cup in 2010.

Venkat : Franz Beckenbauer in an interview last week talked about the power of football channelizing African nations together. He said “There is only one language they speak, there is only one power that brings them together.” Do you think cricket can also share the mantle and becoming a unifying force for African nations one day ?

Dr. Bacher : Not quite. I cannot see cricket making the same amount of impact as football has done in the continent – primarily because it is only a few countries like Uganda, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa that have taken up to the game. It will certainly make its mark as a popular sport and grow in a few countries but not on an overall scale.

Venkat : Any memorable incidents on and off the field that you would both look back at and feel proud about ?

Dr. Bacher : The unification of South African cricket is right there at the top. That would be the biggest and the proudest moment for any South African cricketer, past or present. Subsequently, organizing the Cricket World Cup in 2003 successfully was a great way to sign-off.

Venkat Ananth

venkz86@gmail.com

The Battle of the Royal Lions (Sri Lanka's Tour of England)

After a rather unconvincing performance against Pakistan at home, Sri Lanka embark on a tough tour to England that might well decide the direction they are taking in international cricket. They were tamed to submission by Pakistan and struggled gradually as the tour progressed. Having played the top teams in a brief period of 6 months, Sri Lanka's report card does not sound encouraging. Losses to India, New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh (one match) and now Pakistan in the ODIs was something Tom Moody and Co would prefer forgetting as Sri Lanka aim to undo the mistakes they did in these matches. And to be frank and blunt as a writer, Sri Lanka do not appear a Test side to me. They keep repeating the same mistakes and this has cost them dearly. Playing teams like Bangladesh regularly (2 series in a gap of 8 months) is taking Sri Lankan cricket nowhere, as performances in these matches flatters to only deceive later. In my humble opinion, I would rather see Sri Lanka play teams like Pakistan, India, England regularly than the Bangladeshis and the West Indians. This is a preview in the typically 'Deano' fashion - a SWOT analysis.

Strengths

There are obvious signs of improvements in this Sri Lankan team, but unfortunately they are not long-lasting. I would tend to think that apart from being mighty in the spin department, their batting seems to be a certain strength. Kumar Sangakkara's progress indicates an obvious growth in stature as their best batsman, followed by Mahela Jayawardena and Tillekaratne Dilshan. If they can score massive runs against the bowling attack that England boasts of, they are sure to create positions of strength. The squad seems stacked with batsmen, who are inexperienced and if guys like Tharanga and Vandort can realize their potential, the void created by the retirement of Jayasuriya will somehow be unseen. The relatively inexperienced bowling seems to be maturing with every other outing and if they can capitalize on the conditions they are presented with, bowlers like Vaas, Maharoof, Malinga, Kulasekara, Zoysa and Fernando could prove a handful. Utilizing the conditions will be the key to their success. Besides, the spin attack of Malinga Bandara and Muttiah Muralitharan seems potent enough to create pressure situations, which the team can cash in on. Who can forget Murali spinning the Oval one-off Test of 1998 on its head with a match haul of 16 wickets. So, if they can start the series well, there is no doubt that there is some quality in this Sri Lankan line-up, good enough to disturb the England team.

Weaknesses

Weaknesses are in plenty to be honest. The inexperience might just as prove to be a weakness as it is a strength. The openers' spot seems a major concern for me. Tharanga and Vandort might not be technically adaptive to the conditions in England. Kumar Sangakkara might have to play saviour time and again by coming in situations that might probably be avoidable. The openers will be under pressure to bat well everytime they go out to bat and if they succeed in evading this pressure, they would have done their bit to the team's cause. The role of Tillekaratne Dilshan is a question mark. He has a decent technique to go along with his wide range of strokes and if Sri Lanka can push him up in the order, it will do good to their totals. But, from his side, he has to curb his natural instincts of playing one shots too many and put a tag on his wicket, which has been a continual problem with him. The bowling line-up somehow comes up with a tag of 'inexperienced'. Apart from Vaas and Zoysa, the bowlers look naive. There is a uni-dimensional look to this bowling attack. The sameness should ideally be masked by picking a bowling line-up that consists of Vaas (angle), Maharoof (accuracy), Malinga (action and pace), Malinga Bandara (leg-spin) and Murali (off-spin). All in all, there are plenty of loopholes in this Sri Lankan squad, the earlier they are plugged, the better would be the chances of tasting successes in England.

Opportunities

There are plenty of things the Sri Lankans can learn from this tour. Having picked Prasanna Jayawardene as the second wicketkeeper, it will be important for the management to play Sangakkara purely as a batsman, due to the unavailability of Marvan Atapattu. If Sangakkara can purely concentrate on his batting, it would help both his and his team's cause as runs flowing from his bat are invaluable. Mahela Jayawardena gets a golden chance to cement his position as the skipper of the team. One hopes that he can manage to lead by example and with Atapattu's cricketing career in doldrums, cashing in on these limited opportunities would be the key. There is a great scope for improvement in this Sri Lankan team. They need to get their combination correct before every match and march on with a belief that they can be more than competitive against a strong opponent.

Threats

There are plenty of threats looming around Sri Lanka and the most important one would be their opponents. Having won the third test convincingly against India at Mumbai, England will surely be drenched in confidence and besides, the return of their regulars like Vaughan, Trescothick, Simon Jones and Stephen Harmision does not send encouraging signals to the Sri Lankan camp. Another problem that they could face would be adaptability. The earlier they get going in England, the better it could be for the Sri Lankans, which possibly means winning all their tour games and being match fit as they go into the Tests.

There was a time when the English board refused to acknowledge Sri Lanka's credentials as a Test side, and just as the Royalties had their way, the 1998 win changed their vision towards the Island nation. Since then, Sri Lanka have been playing one test extra each time they visited England (2 in 2002 and currently 3) and more importantly in quality venues like Lord's, Edgbaston and Trent Bridge. Sri Lanka can surely look to impress their case further by putting up performances that can stand out and get noticed by not only England, but the rest of the world, if they have any intentions of transforming themselves into a force to reckon with for the near future. As a fan of Sri Lankan cricket, I am sure that the boys will come up with the goods and push England to the limits if not shock them as they did in 1998.

Squaring-up in Style

After all the extravaganza associated with the first ODI, it was business time in the DFL Cup. The first match appeared to be more of a contest between a jaded Indian team and their relatively fresh counterparts. India went into this ODI with a plenty to do and importantly, maintain that unbeaten series run they have been on since the Sri Lankan series at home.

Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that more or less was the same from the previous game, except for the unevenness in the bounce. Batting first on this wicket is always an advantage as runs on the board and the pressure of chasing can get to the best of teams in the 4th Innings, considering the earlier match. India made one change to their line-up, bringing in Sehwag for the inexperienced Uthappa, while Pakistan chose to remain unchanged.

Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid opened the innings for India on expected lines. The initial overs were played with a great degree of circumspect and following that dry spell where no runs came off the bat, a spite of indifferent bowling from the Pakistani bowlers, some overpitched and short and wide deliveries allowed the Indians to set the tone for the score they were aiming at. Sehwag particularly took toll of anything pitched up to him and bowled on the stumps and as he grew in confidence, he started freeing his arms and left the Pakistani bowlers clueless at times. Having finished the powerplays on top of the situation at 100/0, Dravid and Sehwag laid a perfect platform for what looked like a score in excess of 270. Pakistan did manage to eventually break the partnership, when Afridi bamboozled Sehwag with a peach of a delivery at 138, with Sehwag having made 73. Mahendra Singh Dhoni was sent to up the ante at the fall of Sehwag, but with two spinners bowling from either end, taking the pace off it was always going to be a tough task in hand. Dhoni's innings got underway thanks to some unorthodox strokeplay, the finest paddle sweep one can ever imagine (a shot hard to describe) and in an almost nonchalant manner, he reached his fifty. Dravid looked solid as ever and adding some crucial runs with Dhoni. However, India did miss a trick by not timing their final charge to perfection. With wickets in hand, there was scope to start the acceleration at around 36 overs, but it did come a bit late. Dravid, in his bid to accelerate, played on one from Rana Naved as he left for a gutsy effort of 92. Dhoni followed him to the pavilion after scoring 59. Pakistan seemed to get back in contention having picked two good wickets quickly. Yuvraj then showed the way by belting Mohammad Asif for 20 runs in an over that included 3 fours and a majestic six. However, his brief cameo was ended by Rana Naved in the very next over, and India's hopes of reaching a total of 280 began seeming a distance away. Through some hare-paced running and last-overs frills, Suresh Raina and Irfan Pathan managed to guide India to 269 runs, a total one felt comfortable with considering the nature of the wicket and the weather conditions to follow.

History does not back Pakistan when it comes to chasing totals. But having been there and done that in the last game, Pakistan would have approached this total in the orthodox way of chasing, i.e. keep wickets in hand and make the last 10 overs count. Imran Farhat and Shoaib Malik started off the innings for Pakistan. They came down heavy especially on Irfan Pathan and got off to what can be considered a reasonable start. However, the batsmen looked edgy at times and that is exactly what led to the first wicket - Imran Farhat adjudged leg-before to Pathan for 8. Imran Farhat would consider himself unlucky, as the ball from Irfan seemed to head down the leg-side. Pakistan decided to put their chase at stake by promoting Shahid Afridi up the order. He barely managed to survive in the middle as Irfan Pathan managed to get through his defences with a perfect in-dipper. Having lost two wickets in quick succession, the need of the hour for Pakistan was to rebuild and then consolidate. In the meanwhile, Sreesanth from the other end was bowling impeccably constantly hitting the corridors of uncertainty and keeping the batsman on his toes. Ajit Agarkar's introduction gave India their third wicket. It was one of those rare occasions where Ajit was getting his shape and swing to go beautifully. Younis Khan edged one to Dhoni for 5 and Pakistan in dire straits. The skipper walked in and along with the set batsman, Malik, had to take charge in the middle. As their individual innings progressed, there was a certain calmness to this batting. They looked at ease on the wicket and it would only be a spell of brilliance from the bowler or the fielder that would dislodge them. That is exactly what happened as Shoaib Malik holed out to a spectacular catch by Yuvraj off Powar's bowling for a well-made 45 and this wicket seemed to have drained the gas off the Pakistani batting. The wicket of Malik triggered a collapse with Mohammad Yousuf, Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq going down cheaply. The skipper, in the meanwhile chugged on and brought up his 83rd fifty and 12th against India. He seemed to find an able ally in Naved ul-Hasan Rana, who struck meaty blows to help raise the dampened spirits. This late order charge by Rana yielded a 50 run partnership with Inzamam and for once in the game, India were made to think. Irfan Pathan virtually sealed the fate of the match, when Rana skied one to Venugopal Rao, who took the catch just centimetres from the boundary line. The writing gradually seemed to appear on the wall. Inzamam was finally run out for 72 and what followed was a celebration beyond description, Rahul Dravid running for a 100 m Olympic gold was a sight worth seeing. The coffin was sealed when Sreesanth picked up Rao Ifthikar Anjum at 218, with India emerging worthy victors by 51 runs.

It was a tournament for the skippers. Rahul Dravid was named the man of the match for this game, while Inzamam bagged the honours for the man of the series. All in all, an excellent effort by both teams to take time off their busy schedule and play two matches for a noble cause. Both teams will be embarking on overseas tours next, with India leaving for the Caribbean and Pakistan heading off to England.

PS : It was a new experience at writing a fully authentic match-report. It was purely done on an experimental basis. I do not know if I have justified the way it needs to be written.