A view from the Gully (14 June 1999)
Zimbabwe will be looking towards their stronger neighbour South Africa to carry them into the exclusive club of the last four and will ask for 'forgiveness' for their 'impertinence' in the group match encounter with Cronje's men
14-Jun-1999
14 June 1999
A view from the Gully
Tawfiq Aziz Khan
Zimbabwe will be looking towards their stronger neighbour South
Africa to carry them into the exclusive club of the last four and
will ask for 'forgiveness' for their 'impertinence' in the group
match encounter with Cronje's men.
New Zealand, coming from the brink, booked their seat at the last
moment by virtue of an unexpected victory over India and a superior
run rate over Zimbabwe. Only a defeat for Australia can take Zimbabwe
through to the semifinal.
This cold English summer will be remembered by the Indians for a long
time to come. An outfit that has been dubbed by all and sundry as one
of the best teams in the frey had to bow out unsung even with
formidable wins against Sri Lanka, England and finally Pakistan in
the Super Six stage.
On Saturday Azhar and his 'boys' appeared completely distraught as
they took the strike against New Zealand, generally not remembered
for their consistency or brilliance.
Trent Bridge was cloudy and gloomy was the Indian faces. That a team,
with such talent, clout, and perhaps the most adored and pampered of
the dozen, would leave such a sad impression was beyond even any
skeptic's wildest imagination. Out they went but not before putting a
spanner in the works for Zimbabwe to whom they lost by only three
runs in the first round. India's defeat to New Zealand had so many
surprise elements. The mere fact that the full Indian batting machine
could not take the score to around 300 against a pedestrian Kiwi
attack, barring Geoff Allott, should be a matter of concern for the
losing team. Sachin Tendulker's performance with the bat left a big
question mark over his fitness. Were the English conditions, to which
he was not new, to his dislike? Apart from the success against Kenya
Tendulker had disappointed his admirers across the world. Gangully
was painfully slow. It was left to Jadeja, Azhar and Robin Singh to
score quickly with help from Dravid and take the score to
respectability.
New Zealand seized the opportunity with both hands because this was
their only chance to be in the semis. They made no fuss about their
intentions and went about in a professional manner. The normally
disciplined Indian bowlers bowled a generous dose of wides and nos,
and by the time the rains intervened Mathew Horne and Roger Twose had
taken their team to safety.
The Indians must be feeling hollow inside themselves. If all their
preparations and attentions were focused only for their match against
Pakistan, which they won handsomely and also as a better team on that
particular day, they can sit back and smile for a consolation prize.
But as far as the tournament goes, they will have to compose
themselves and deeply go into retrospection and come up with genuine
causes and their remedies for the future.
Tailpiece: For the advertiser the message is clear: Till the final,
it's all dandruff and no clear. (No malice intended).
Source :: The Daily Star