Strip Sydney Test of its Official Status!

Strip Sydney Test of its Official Status!

Australia: World beaters or World cheaters?

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

The only logical manner that cricket can now move on at a saner level is if the Sydney Test is stripped off its official status. It will not be the first time (remember the last time India, and Sachin Tendulkar in particular, was targeted by then match referee Mike Denness in South Africa). Consider the other options. Consider the magnitude of the repercussions. This is not about one-upmanship. This is about delivering justice, where it belongs.

Consider for the moment that not one or two but a good many instances where the umpires have botched up the rules of ruling someone out. Consider the impact where at least seven of the alleged bad decisions were declared wrong when all an opposition side needs is 20 wickets to win a match. This was simply not a case of the umpires getting it wrong. To err is human; to be bias, is to aid the opposition.

Admittedly India's batting on the final day of the second Test in Sydney was far from encouraging, especially given that India had done so well in the first innings to set the cat amongst the pigeons for Australia. Australia were determined to shake India’s morale. Instead they have only highlighted their bullying ways and ungentlemanly approach to the game, whose crown they wear but whose respect they have failed to command.

The guffaws must be really loud. How does one gentleman’s rule apply to India and not apply to Australia? Adam Gilchrist’s comments to a channel here in India spoke of downright double standards. When Gilchrist asserts that India should accept the umpire’s decision, why is it that on more than one occasion, Ricky Ponting has stood his ground in sheer arrogance? Had the tables been reversed, would Australia stand for this blatant one sided affair? If Ponting is acting dictatorial with the media about being questioning on his double stand on how the game should be played, does not a player of Sachin Tendulkar’s stature speak of a greater integrity when he claims Harbhajan made no racist remarks to warrant this punishment?

Ponting is asserting Michael Clarke has taken the catch cleanly when the replays clearly show that there is more than an element of doubt to suggest Sourav Ganguly was only given out under dubious circumstances. While the members of the Australian team had conveniently brushed it as Mark Benson’s oversight in not consulting with the square leg umpire (thought given that that gentleman was Steve Bucknor, would it have been any different?) , the fact remains that Ponting is claiming a significant wicket. Who gave him the authority to decide who goes (having seen as it can be so biased) just as who did give him the authority to decide how the media should report? How does anyone believe when the captain has claimed a catch when the captain himself stands blatantly despite being out? Is this honesty, or Australia’s meaning of honesty, like their interpretation of racism?

Gilchrist may have made walking a new phenomenon for Australian cricket but to claim mighty that he does not make appeals unnecessarily and that it is India who have gone over the top is foolhardy. Need we remind Gilchrist of his vociferous appeal against Rahul Dravid in the second innings when the bat was nowhere close to the ball? Australia were desperate for victory, and they did employ the sub continent’s tactics of vociferous appealing, and rather needlessly so. Did they not succeed?

The loopholes are many. Consider the fact that these nonsensical charges of racism were labeled by Ponting on behalf of Andrew Symonds and the testimony on which Harbhajan was slapped the three match ban came through Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke. In the same manner that without evidence, the committee decided to pass judgement against Harbhajan, why was the word of Sachin Tendulkar not taken into account? Does Sachin not command respect simply for the way he has played the game all these years, forget Ponting’s colourful past?

The result simply shows insensitivity in understanding such serious allegations of racism. Racism is not even a concept in India. Yes, casteism is understandable, although deplorable. But racism is a raging matter in Australia where the aborigines for long have been handed a raw deal. Perhaps the word has become rather loose to rattle at the first hint of disruption.

Symonds is playing cry wolf. When it didn’t work in India, he has done it again back home. Someone of his own background must be careful of not degrading the meaning of the word ‘race’, because the word soon loses its charged meaning when used so blatantly. What it once again shows is the divisive nature even in the ten nations that this ‘world’ game is played. Is Symonds the type who will stand still while he is childishly labeled a ‘monkey’? Would the pictures lie when they show that more words were exchanged by Symonds rather than Harbhajan Singh?

If conspiracy theories must abound, this was a well planned ploy. Australia have already had their sixteen match winning streak broken once. That too, humilitation handed by India. The way India bounced back in Sydney, another upset was on the cards. Whether the umpires were adhering to the white supremacy theory or if Bucknor has coloured his vision is subject to debate. But this was an obvious attempt to shift the focus and what could be more poignant that shaking the one man Australia thought was an easy subject? How else does one explain how the two teams appeared to make truce on the field only to have the issue take of racist allegations when the day’s play was done with?

The thing about Steve Bucknor’s age and vision is rubbish. His vision is just fine if he is giving only one team obviously disgraceful levels at the international team (in this case, India, in all cases, India) while the other team is allowed to get away. (the vision of the third umpire may need an optmologist though.) One wondered why Symonds was not sharing the ‘Man of the Match’ trophy with the other ‘men of the match’ Bucknor, Benson and company.

This was well thought out and executed to perfection. Kudos must be given to Australia, not only for playing the game hard, ruthless even in the face of obviously deplorable decisions, but also, bullying the game, the opposition and the ICC authorities to rule in their favour. Australia dare not touch Tendulkar. Dravid has his own grave to ponder over while Ganguly has come back raring stronger. Anil Kumble will fight fire with fire. Who then would make for an easy target and who could be provoked into playing the perfect ‘bakra’ (that goat for non-Hindi folks)?

It is no small matter that Australia have been smarting ever since India won the Twenty20, to even denounce the nature of the format of the game. That Australia nursed that grudge through their one day series in India became pretty obvious as the series progressed. Now it is the threat of the Test series becoming more formidable that set fear in the hearts of the Australian players. Australia has played a rather dirty game off the field, and revealed even the top world beating team is not exempt from behaving shamelessly under the threat of fear and humiliation.

(if anything should come from this, Harbhajan must learn to keep in tongue in check; Australia have just exploited his easily provoked nature to malicious intent.) Sunil Gavaskar hit the nail on the head when he said it was hard to accept the honesty of the players who claims a dishonest catch and who has the temerity to stand his ground when he is obviously out. There is only one way to solve Kapil Dev’s dilemma that five years hence on, everyone will forget the injustice delivered to India. Obliterate the result. India should accept that. Australia must live with that.

Just ask Australia if they would accept their sixteen match streak coming to a halt because of such poor umpiring decisions. Gilchrist says, India must accept the umpire’s decision. If India does accept the loss, who gains by the maladies of the Test? Ponder on that and Gilchrist’s assertions will become easier to understand. If the umpired have sullied the game, Australia have shown why despite being world champions all these years has not improved their reputation as unreasonable bullies for their blatant ungentlemanly conduct, unbecoming of a team and nation of their stature. Sri Lanka have suffered, South Africa have suffered. And it is easy to see why racism is such a ‘hot’ (disgracefully) term in their game. Education is required for Australia and the men who dictate the rules of the game to understand sensitivities of people better than they do the laws of the game.

The only decent way this game can go on is for Australia to get an educated lesson on what constitutes racism , for Harbhajan’s ban to be revoked, for Ponting a lesson on what constitutes the gentleman’s game and whether his authority as Australian captain ends, for Bucknor to bid goodbye to cricket, and for the Sydney Test to be stripped of its official Test status. In the game where so many decisions have been wronged; no other balm can effect a reversal of fortunes or stop the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (ignominious if Australia wins the Trophy on the basis of the Sydney Test) from being unfairly retained by the Australians on the basis of this Test.

If there was a time to rebel for the Indian team, it is now. There is integrity at stake and (not Ponting’s kind of integrity, please) and no sport can be a leveler that chooses to divide peoples of nations and people of one world and worse, promotes behavior that sabotages games by using these divisive forces. Neither the game has won, nor has the people who have followed it. Australia has scream from the rooftops; they did not shape this particular game on their cricketing acumen.

If a middle ground cannot be found, if such a champion beating side cannot decipher that their opposition has been handed a raw deal (which could also mean Australia is afraid to take on the challenge again in trying to retain the trophy), India must pack its bags. Forget financial repercussions; there is a lot more at stake here and it simply ain’t cricket, mate! Who wants to play a game like this, let alone watch it?

(As for public information, the author of this piece did not grow up as a fan of Indian cricket. As a sports writer-columnist, she has tempered an objective view about the game and it is from this that steams the anger at the obvious sullying of a game she so reveres. Again for the sake of those myopic to view this as anti-Australian, the author holds the game in reverence as does the champions, but not their unruly behavior. Besides, Australia is much too beautiful a country to be done in by a couple of their uncouth cricketers.)

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Monkey around Indian cricket?

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

In a classic case pot calling the kettle black, the Australia team is threatening to take India apart for a few stupid spectators who allegedly passed racist comments against a so-called one of their own!

Indian cricket fans, who not long ago were reveling in India’s winning the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 championships, have had to face much frustration with Australia showing why they are the world champions in one day internationals. Playing like a well knit unit, Australia have brought all their skills to the fore in one composite picture and the result has been an overwhelming series victory in what should have been India’s home territory.

It was this annoyance that led to a few irate fans supposedly making monkey like gestures at Andrew Symonds, the only player in the Australian who does not bear resemblance to the traditional Caucasian male. Admittedly, if that were the case, then it would be a really stupid uncalled for gesture on the part of the fans. In the land of Lord Hanuman, (to term him loosely as the monkey God does not seem appropriate.) that people even indulged in such behavior shows a small section of completely ignorant or disrespectful bunch of Indians. But by no means, are they a representative of the hospitality accorded to foreign teams.

But here lies the contention. The Australian team is acting so offended over the entire episode, it makes one wonder if they are just as skilled in donning pastoral robes with the same finesse with which they take the opposition apart. To call it a racist insult is taking things too far. And it is the Australians alleging that this tour to India has been hostile!

The Australian team had better get a hold of themselves because they are not about to find too much sympathy from anyone else in the world. Teams that have toured Australia in the past have tales of mental torture that they will not be forgetting in a hurry. In a country with a great sporting history, their acceptance of aboriginal society within their own fold has been appalling. In fact that Australia is consistently a group of all whites makes it a racist issue in itself and something that Australia has dodged, again with equal panache.

How does one explain Australia’s tolerant culture when Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan was mocked at a decade ago and yet again Australian fans’ boisterous behavior was against on show as they targeted the coloured members of the South African squad not so long ago? Australia have failed at an integral integration policy and the reflection of it comes through certain sections of ignorant fans.

India is one of the most hospitable countries to tour. And the joke is that the generosity does not end off the field but extends of it as well. New foreign players receive baptism, foreign teams get unusual success and the Indian team often folds when it should blossom. Take a look at the number of former Australian player who have continued to come to India much after their retirement. And watch the Australian players cash in on the endorsements while in India! And they are received with fanaticism by the Indian media and fans. Therefore, to isolate one incident and throw a circle of darkness about the tour is downright disgraceful.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have uttered these words in another context but it is relevant that Australians do not talk anything at all just because they can. The series has been more fiercely fought with words rather than with any nail-biting encounters. Australians have shown cohesion and clinical determination, something that India would do well to emulate. But for Australia to be already sounding horns about what the Indians will face when they tour Australia down under is taking things a little too far. Australia would do well not to imitate Sreesanth’s antics of putting words before concrete action.

There is no denying that the Australians have been a bunch of men gripe with a bad case of sour grapes. The timing of the one day internationals bang after the Twenty20 tourney has meant that Australia has spent a fair time watching the Indian team being praised and feted like none else in the world. The Australians have been generous in their statements to the media talking of how all this felicitation has gone out of hand and that the Indians are in over their heads.

Yet again it shows Australia’s contriteness behavior of not understanding the cricketing culture of the nation. If the Australians thought the Indian team was being treated like ‘princes and rock stars’, they are absolutely right. The Princely states may have gone out fashion and India’s fame to the ‘western’ rock stars of the world may be next to negligible. But such is the fanaticism for the sport that the Indian cricket team is like a bunch of rock stars. They have their number hits and they have their doldrums. The only thing irking the Australians is the fact they missed out on having their cake and eating it too!

The Day the Twenty20 Champs beat the World Champions!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

He is not the first. And he certainly won’t be the last. Ricky Ponting may be an aggrieved batsman. But at the end of the day, his grievance as a skipper would have only been graver with India beating Australia in a one day match in a very long time. More importantly, the Australian juggernaut needed a super special effort to be brought to a halt. The brakes are red hot from the Herculean task. Can they now last the distance? Or was it a mere minor dent?

As gaudy as the headline sounds, that is precisely how the ongoing series has been billed. Much has been said and written and for Ponting to correct the Indians that they were not world champions was like Australia saying – don’t ignore us just because we make a habit of winning! Incredible as that sounds, that has precisely been Australia’s bane. Victory for Australia has become mundane; victory for everything else, out of this world! It only naturally follows that celebrations are louder, words more garrulous, the tantrums more annoying or delightful, depending which side of the fence one is sitting on.

After looking inept to take on the wounded Australians, India staged a revival by winning the fourth one day international in Chandigarh. In the three games preceding, Australia bludgeoned the Indian ego with the bat and a few garbled words. Their garish behavior further added to the tag of sore losers that Australia have portrayed themselves to be. It could not have easy swallowing the exit from the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. It would have been far worse still to be camping in the country at a time when feting the Indian cricket team had become the norm.

Ponting- all agony.

The cameras continued to trail Ponting much after he was declared stumped. The reason was the rather magnanimous gesture from the third umpire in a rather close affair and one whose benefit should have been given to the batsman. Ponting stood his ground in disbelief, trudged off the field willingly, and stood defiant and menacing in the team area. The visuals painted the anguish of every batsman who has been unfairly sent back to the dressing room.

But to think what has happened to Ponting is a rare phenomenon is preposterous. The tour to England has shown that the Indian team, and in particular Sachin Tendulkar, has been at the receiving end of some rather unfair decisions. In the match in question, umpire Suresh Shastri refused to send back Andrew Symonds even though Dhoni, Harbhajan and company had a confident appeal for a neat piece of caught behind. Would Australia complain about that?

The match was set on a knife’s edge, perhaps even tilting Australia’s side while Matthew Hayden was on song. But his departure caused a wobble that India were smart to capitalize on. Arguably the turning point of the match was R.P. Singh’s bowling in the 47^th over taking Symonds out of the equation. The double wicket bonus in the follow up delivery showed Australia could topple in the pressure just as easily.

Triple retirements? Think not.

Ponting does like to face the embarrassment of finding excuses for his team’s loss. But even he would have to admit that the Australian team allowed India to get away from a wobbly start. The Indian think tank may be openly exchanging opinions that create divisive distractions. But on the day Mahendra Singh Dhoni played another masterstroke by giving credit to the seniors within the team. It always helps to keep former skippers, and three powerhouses at that, in one’s pocket. Dhoni acknowledged that the opening pair set the match up for the Indians.

While it was not small feat to face the brute of the Australian bowling, Sourav Ganguly appeared to nurse the Indian opening while Sachin Tendulkar fought off an uncharacteristic inability to see through the opening overs with grace. Far worse, the way the bowlers constantly beat his bat, it would have given any number eleven hope. But only a man of Sachin’s stature could come out glorious with gumption from such an awkward situation. It certainly would have not sat pretty with chairman of selectors, Dilip Vengsarkar, especially after being criticized in public for his thoughts of the triumvirate by none other than the team manager, Lalchand Rajput. But Sachin came out unscathed and with team India glorious, tensions are expected to ease ever so slightly.

Pressure –another matter.

Notice it or not, Dhoni appeared a little older than he did a week ago. While his batting has not been affected ( if anything, captaincy has only added to his aura), Dhoni is fighting a few many battles that have little respite with the bat in hand. His forthright, no-nonsense talk has meant he has openly talked out of the role of the seniors with the juniors while also, stating firmly that he has a mind of his own that is far more reasonable than those that rule the BCCI.

How long the dream run will last before the BCCI will want to reel the young hand is subject to speculation! (Besides the fact that the BCCI may have to first wake up to realize that Dhoni has grasped the matter with both hands on two occasions- the Ganguly episode and the balance concerns- already in the course of this match.) Will Dhoni be able to take his straight talk into making the business of cricket on the field a straightforward matter? These are interesting times for Indian cricket, not to mention accompanied by a certain fragrance of freshness even in defeat. But can it be powerful enough to overcome the stench of cumulative bureaucracy?

Without being rambunctious.

There was one person missing. But how many did miss him? There is a fine line between being hyperactive and downright annoying. Contrary to belief that he is a product of nurtured environment of Gen next, Sreesanth has decided to market himself as the flamboyant player on the field and a charmer off the field. His smile and guile fool no one, not even those innocuous looking glasses. People rejoiced and mocked him for his jig against Andre Nel in South Africa last year.

His McEnroe antics were interesting initially. But once the novelty effect fails, nothing else works. Sreesanth has gone from being aggressive to becoming obnoxious. And when the Australians think that, it really is telling! Everyone knows of Australia’s bully behavior but Sreesanth makes them look holier-than-thou. After looking at Australia, no one would be blamed for thinking there is a method in madness even for the Australian behavior. To stand up is one thing. But Sreesanth, of late, has become a case of empty vessels make more noise. That is unfair. Perhaps it would help him recall that his jig in South Africa was only funny because he had tonked the previous delivery for six. Would Nel have taken it on the chin otherwise? Grow up, Sreesanth, have your day in the sun, then rejoice, wait, rage!

Make no bones: Three years and eleven one day matches of defeats against Australia, victory had nearly slipped away from India. It took everything up till the final ball for India to recover to a hard earned victory. Everything hinged on India believing there was a little more in the tank. It was an uphill climb before this game. They won’t forget that. Ponting certainly will make sure of that.

Tournament Favourites – Picky Finalists!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

It would be like killing two birds – money and mania – with one stone, er, tournament. But having come thus far, the scenario for the final suggests nothing could surpass a seething border rivalry. Pakistan and Australia have a ‘been there, done that’ feel about them while India-New Zealand seem a tad boring combination. On the other hand, Australia and New Zealand’s Trans Tasmanian rivalry has always had a combative thrill about them. Commercial cricket though would put the vote on the other piquant border- India and Pakistan in the final. But would Twenty20 throw up a new world champion or throw a new tantrum? The twist in the tale lay veritably in the semi finals.

Saturday’s double sundae featured some unusual entrants. Of the four semi-finalists, only one can truly claim to have held the banner of tournament favourites true. New Zealand was considered the most adaptive of all teams to this format of the game and reasonable performances kept the team on track to the semi finals. But thereafter Zealand played inexplicable cricket, one that they will sit back and look long into the sunset trying to decipher.

New Zealand may have just watched the match between South Africa and India a little too hard. The disease of failure can be quite contagious. If South Africa unraveled in a so called ‘safe’ game, New Zealand failed to perform to its potential. For all of the trying clichés used against Pakistan (including “Don’t know which Pakistan will turn up for the match), Pakistan performed uncannily professionally and consistently through the tournament.

New Zealand contradicted all the versatility they had displayed in the course of the tournament. Their tall hitters turned into tame batsmen and their running between the wickets was appalling. It was a lesson in cricket by the novice. Suddenly it showed not even the semblance of the New Zealand the world has come to expect of them.

It is an even sad reflection on Daniel Vettori and unfairly so. His selflessness for the team’s cause was evident as he sacrificed himself for some crazy misjudgement of running between the wickets by Ross Taylor, this one proving more costly than others. Taylor is a gifted batsman but his presence of the crease was reflective of the patchy, hesitant batting that New Zealand stuttered with. His mighty blows in the final over showed how his skipper’s presence of mind paid off. But would it be enough against a fired up Pakistan?

New Zealand looked remarkably relaxed at the change of innings. Perhaps it was a deliberate attempt to approach the Pakistan innings with nerves under control. But there would be not be many smiles for too long. Imran Nazir played a healthy innings, survived by a missed run out chance and a catch that neither wicketkeeper nor first slip really attempted to pouch. With a target that was never going to really test the opposition, Pakistan made their task all too easy. Except from a brief little melodrama that did not really threaten the outcome of the match, Pakistan were firm favourites for the finals come Monday.

New Zealand survive an own goal: On a cautious note, Lou Vincent was fortunate to survive a direct hit to his head from none other than his fielding team mate, Jeetan Patel.

The matter of the other semi final was not too far. Somehow while both, Australia and India, suffered hiccups, Australia appeared far less intuitive about the game and India’s resurgence against South Africa gave the latter that extra edge. But knowing Australia, India would not have it easy like Pakistan.

Australia have not shown the ability to crack under pressure. But pressure can do strange things to people. The greater the opposition effort, greater was the chance to put Australia under pressure. That was exactly what Mahendra Singh Dhoni and India did by batting first. Without the pressure of chasing on them or the fact that the bowlers could easily submit the initiative as Australia looked to make headway.

While other batsmen did play their part, yet again Yuvraj Singh proved the star of the show. More than his seventy, it was the alacrity with which he batted that set the tone for the way India would end in a flourish. Australia had to brace themselves and injured skipper Ricky Ponting could only look on concerned.

Australia’s reign thus far in the tournament can be attributed in large part to Mathew Hayden’s bat as much as some of their bowlers. On this occasion as well, Hayden nearly took the game away from India. Frenetic changes from Dhoni, not to mention taking a gamble on the odd occasion, paid off in the end. It did not come easy but it was helped by the fact that India had forty-fifty more runs in the bank than in their previous encounter against South Africa. From a possibly difficult situation for most teams, Australia holstered their chase in Hayden’s hands. Sreesanth, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan, all came good for the effort. But Harbhajan Singh held his nerve as did Joginder Sharma. In the end, it was the best team effort on exhibit for India in quite some time.

Australia appeared ill prepared for the scant regard and respect they would be met with by opposition teams. But even from a straight forward speaking stand-in skipper like Adam Gilchrist, excuses seemed to flow through at the end of the day. Gilchrist felt Australia missed it by one odd mistake. Let us be precise, Australia fell short by precisely three big shots. In Twenty20 matches, 15 runs are gold. And yes, Australia lost that sheen and they would have sounded a lot more dignified to admit it, accept their fate that this would be the first World Cup final since 1996 that would not see the famous green and gold.

For Australia to hide behind the excuse of Australia having come out of hibernation speaks of unprofessionalism. Surely, an event as big as the World Cup merited preparation, off season or not. Perhaps then Ponting was not off the mark claiming Australia needed to show a little more respect for the game. May be that is where Australia should look, in their backyard!

The tournament can rejoice; the outcome of the fanfare has outlived the expectations. Now if only it can continue for one final encounter…

SA’s worst dissection – as always at a World Cup!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

Even the self-assured Graeme Smith appeared set aback by the stunning events of the just concluded encounter in the Super Eights of the World Twenty20 championship. This would be South Africa’s live nightmare at every cricket World Cup thus far. Just when it seemed South Africa had ridden over the storm, along came a hurricane and blew away the home team into bygone woe and piercing despair. Smith has a point. But the case hinges on more than his point. The host jinx stays; South Africa have once again missed the World Cup train!

‘Chokers’ is a cruel word, especially if you happen to be a fan of the team labeled so. However, if choking is a harsh word, it would be pretty hard to describe South Africa’s debacle against India on the sordid night. What would be fairer to say is that South Africa were faced with a scenario no one had foreseen. When the moment was upon them, they were plain too paralysed (and crippled by the early blows) to react, let alone salvage. When they realize they could lose it all, South Africa’s mind set changed – from staying crouched ready for an attack, the hunter suddenly became the hunted. Only in this case, it was not so much India that were preying on them, it was the burden of their sudden twist of fortune that proved to fearsome of one of the most ‘formidable’ teams of the tournament.

Graeme Smith seemed slighted by remarks that South Africa lost their virtual place in the semi final by virtue of their getting their equations wrong. Wherever that assumption came from, this time it did not appear South Africa were unaware of their target. It seemed a plain case of nerves making the tournament favourites stutter their way to another significantly shambolic World Cup loss.

Smith is a strong skipper and would not have let that predicament pass. But he is also shrewd to point out that the tournament that kicked out the team that had won all its matches thus far would have to be looked out. While he may have stated a thought provoking point, it must then create some cause for consternation that teams like Australia that have lost to the lowliest teams have made it thus far. The tournament has thrown open the doors such that most teams have scrapped through games and group tallies and perhaps, this must also be a case with Smith takes it all with a pinch of salt.

Smith was very aware of the loss of momentum. His fiery motivation in the middle of the Indian innings may have seemed like the tirade of a dictator. But Smith has his own way of gearing the team and leading the charge. In hindsight it would seem if the captain was not happy with certain mishaps in the fields (dropped chances, misjudged opportunities), he had every reason to be.

But just leafing back the articles in this column, one point was reiterated on the fateful night. South Africa’s top three never really fired in the tournament. There was no real charge from the start of the innings and if the law of averages had perhaps done their job, Smith would have been so aggrieved. But Smith has to take the blame for his own inability to see through the India’s resurgence and stayed on to impact the game more. South Africa were put to the ultimate test at thirteen for three. While in previous matches, the likes of Justin Kemp and Albie Morkel saw through the tough turmoil, to do it all over again was perhaps just a task too much.

It is all very well to boast of depth in the batting order. But to rely on the lower order while the top order does a lullaby is just not on, even in a short game like Twenty20. The recovery between Mark Boucher and Morkel did cause a few flutters for the Indians but it was another matter that held South Africa down while India motored on, right into the semi final.

Besides a difficult start to the chase, South Africa appeared paralysed. It was not just the possibility of loss, but also, rather the distant plausibility that they could go out of the tournament. Distant because all they has to chase was 126, a target not particularly frightening for a team of this depth and fortitude. What did them in was the sudden fear of an unanticipated scenario. The factor seemed to have crippled them beyond belief.

It would not have helped their chances that their prolific batsman of the tournament and their biggest connector of the ball, Justin Kemp, was felled by a run out. Some may even raise the issue of the dubious decision surrounding Herschelle Gibbs with the umpires coming increasingly under the scanner. But was it possible that the big three up the order, Gibbs, Smith and AB de Villiers, could have approached the innings differently? While it serves no purpose to ruminate on the past, these are perhaps the areas that the team should look at. It seems prophetic now when Kemp mentioned that there were a few more areas that South Africa could improve on.

But it is a matter to look into. Otherwise considered a formidable side, South Africa develop a sense of vulnerability about them when a World Cup comes around. Their fragility has bizarrely passed down even though significant personnel changes have come along as also a varied bunch of skippers, each more different from their predecessor. There is always next time, but South Africa are increasingly finding themselves reflecting more on their losses than setting their sights on significant victories.

This is nothing to take away from India’s plucky performance. Whether their batting faltered to reveal a rookie hero or one of their star bowlers proving wayward once again, India continued to fight. And that made all the difference. South Africa had the fate of this matches in their clutches. But when it was time to fight, the will and the might deserted them, with devastating effect.

Daniel Vettori openly said his team would support South Africa in the match against India in order to be able to go through. The match did turn on its head, and one does wonder, did New Zealand dare buy the Indians a round of beer knowing they could plausibly meet each other in the finals? Or did Vettori extend a conciliatory beer to the much disconsolate skipper of the home team? Not a pleasant treat, any which way one looks at it. New Zealand were fortunate, but South Africa have not ended the tournament a pretty sight. Ironically the team that first handed Australia its defeat in the warm up match, perhaps significantly of things to come, have to painfully look back only to realize they themselves had perhaps stymied their progress on the apparent road to victory!

SL : Another One bites the Dust!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

Sri Lanka is perhaps the one team besides New Zealand who seemed to have a hang of the tournament. Dark horses perhaps, but decidedly Sri Lanka was showing the mature side if Pakistan could curb its temperamental ways. India was thrown in with England as two of the worst teams of the tournaments; harsh perhaps but there was too much deviation to predict. Sri Lanka though flopped at their worst moment. The result: it was not a pretty sight!

Australia were riding on a prayer and their final league match against Sri Lanka to make it to the final four. Men of cricketing acumen concurred: Sri Lanka deserved it more than Australia. Australia, one felt, never really tuned in to the tournament and paid a face losing price for their debacle against a zealous Zimbabwean squad. Sri Lanka were always brimming with confidence and seemed they could put no foot wrong.

Sri Lanka were on a high with Sanath Jayasuriya, the thirty-seven year old veteran of the bombastic bat, roaring like his hey days of the limited overs World Cup of 1996. It would then have to be said that Sri Lanka’s fall from grace had much to do with the luck of the charismatic all-rounder. Jaysuriya was taken to the cleaners by Pakistan and his lbw against Australia waylaid Sri Lanka beyond recovery point.

The hurdles grew and so did Sri Lanka’s woes. Against Australia, Sri Lanka failed to simply wind down. Their gung-ho attitude of the earlier games failed to sublimate as the Australian bowlers proved too hot to handle. But at least a couple of dismissals were soft, suggesting a greater subdued application at the crease could have seen better times for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka were blown away by the speed of the game and by a man people are unfairly likening to Glen McGrath. Stuart Clark would like his own identity and certainly after the way he systematically decimated Sri Lanka’s pride and performance, he is not a man to take lightly.

One had to blink twice to see a side five down with virtually nothing on board. Even the minnows have not fallen as badly. Coming from Sri Lanka, it was a shocker. From being the favourites to put it past the world champions who failed to overcome Pakistan in their previous game, Sri Lanka put up a limp performance that every one would like to forget in a hurry.

Undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s worse day of the tournament and unfortunately at a stage of no comebacks. As well as Sri Lanka have performed, they simply did not have enough in the bank to overcome this horrendous performance. For the tournament, the timing of this clash could not have been any better. Not only was this a match between the so called favoruites and the so called fallen champions, it was also a knock out match that should have ideally brought out the best of both teams and made this a teething tussle.

But Sri Lanka put up their toothless side on show; the much hyped clash appeared never to have arrived. Now the much shell shocked Sri Lanka will find themselves on the flight back, their campaign to the inaugural Twenty20 cut short cruelly by their own inability at application as also, a resurgent performance from the slighted world champions.

Australia should consider themselves to have survived the vagaries of their shock and awe performances. Now they will in all likelihood without the resources of their skipper Ricky Ponting who was left shamefaced after their first loss to Zimbabwe. But Australia are finding their feet in this tournament and on their day, can blow away the opposition like they did to Sri Lanka. Australia will hope to capture that essence in the semi-final in order to reach the final pinnacle.

Australia have put their defeats past them and with this close to laying their hands on a second World Cup trophy in a year, will now go for crowning glory. Australia will be the team to beat, although that is not how all cricket fans would have liked it. Australia are the overwhelming favourites to be the least favourite side to win the tournament, if the fans were concerned. The green and gold have had it all too much for the fans to settle for more of the same. The tournament perhaps deserves a brand new champion. But this time it would be Sri Lanka who stands in Australia’s way!

Zimbabwe Topple Australia; Rattle England!!!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

This was more than the tournament organizers bargained for! Did they get their money’s worth? Who knows, judging by the many empty seats? Perhaps Ricky Ponting’s statement, “We should respect the game more,” should have applied to the local fans that missed out on an enterprising feast. It was a night where Australia’s nightmares began even before they went to bed. For the rest of the world, it was a day neither Zimbabwe nor the rest of the cricketing world would forget in a long time to come!

What a night! This is the kind of game the World Cup in the Caribbean would have needed to set it on fire. It certainly is burning hot, just check under Ponting’s collar. For the world champions to be trounced completely by the supposedly meekest Test cricket playing nation in the world would not have gone down well with any self-respecting Australian.

Only about three days, Australia made headlines, having lost the warm up to hosts South Africa. Apparently it did not concern them, not enough to think they could be upstaged by the long standing team who has not been able to shake off the minnows tag. If the first defeat did not wake them up, this will only push them into a realm, potentially dangerous for their forthcoming opponents.

But few in the rest of the world would have any empathy for the self-proclaimed connoisseurs of the game. Ruling the roost always attracts enemies and the sadist in every person bares his fangs at the prospect of the most glittering team in the world cowering into submission. But given Australian high handed cockiness, they derive even lesser sympathy than any other team around the world. Even the proud Ian Chappell had to make a scathing remark (this time not against a non-Australian team) that the team in red (Zimbabwe) looked and played like champions and the team in red (Australia) looked like minnows to an outsider. Well said.

This should be called a shock defeat. Instead the only people truly shocked (and defeated) are the Australians. The whole world is rejoicing Zimbabwe’s success. It is true, “Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and the other guy has an even better sob story.” Zimbabwe’s political turmoil sullied their sport, and the dirt on the hands have been hard to scrub off. Plunged into darkness, their Test status in limbo, and a team looking ever more vulnerable than at any other time in history, Zimbabwe were the last team to make a fist of the battles thrown their way.

Playing a tough draw at the very beginning of the tournament is not easy, even for the so called pros. But Zimbabwe approached it in a manner than is inspirational to all and sundry. Zimbabwe held an aura of fearlessness that saw them through even when they briefly appeared to lose their way. Standing tall took on a whole new meaning.

People fear Brett Lee not because of his speed, but because of the precedence in being known as a speed demon with the ball in hand. But the way Zimbabwe took on the challenge, Lee’s blade seemed blunt and the likes of Nathan Bracken and Mitchell Johnson, mere swords of paper and glue!

Zimbabwe did not come without a game plan. In fact theirs seemed a structured approach, ironically so when Twenty20 is being hailed as a game with no time to think. Vusimusi Sibanda went fro carnage while Brendan Taylor stayed put, determined not to leave the field until he had sealed the deal for his team. It took some rain, some drama, a potential miss by three runs if Messrs. Duckworth and Lewis had anything to do with it.

But it was Zimbabwe’s night. It had begun that way and even they needed half a dozen in the final over, they chose to remain undeterred. On the day fortune did favour the brave. But it also favoured men of steel, and also, hard working, indigenous men who refused to be intimidated by the reputation of their opponent.

Losing can become a mental trap, and one can easily forget that a door is all it takes to step out of it. Had Zimbabwe lost this game, no one would have held them responsible. To put it in a better way, had Zimbabwe fallen placidly, no one would stir, or even shed a tear. Being trampled upon had become a romp, at the sound of sounding highly euphemistic. Zimbabwe rose over their own obstacles, and it certainly took a lot out of them.

Like Kepler Wessels, former South African captain, said, it would be hard to repeat their triumph twice in successive days simply because the victory would have taken a lot from them, the realization of it even. To earn recognition as world beaters from becoming virtual nobodies was no small feat. If anything, it should spur them on not only in future victories but in future defeats as well. The comeback road is usually uphill. But the hike becomes a little easier recalling what led them this far in the first place.

Zimbabwe could not quiet relieve the magic from the previous match in the game against England. But they are on the road of redemption. There was plenty of gust and gumption, even as they went down to England. Make no mistake. Zimbabwe was not an easy opponent to negotiate for England in their first match in the tournament. Zimbabwe still have slim doors open for them to go through, but their have done more than stamp their attendance. They have made this journey counts and for the sake of cricket, one hopes their journey is less obstacle ridden and bears more their exuberance and fearless determination (courage in one word) on their road to recovery.

Australia are a different kettle of fish. Australia do not take kindly to defeat, any defeat. The fact that they went down so insipidly must have been a difficult night to sleep on but a more difficult morning to wake up to. But if there is anything we have learnt of the Australia is that they do not take defeat lying down. That only means England will need to play with more authority than they did against Australia if they are to shut the door on their Ashes nemesis. England would do well to play out of their skins, not just for themselves, for the survival for a feisty Zimbabwean team. Come what may, Zimbabwe celebrated like they had won the World Cup! The rest of the world joined them as if they had, if only for a day!