Beyond the boundary - Dreams, Torn And Tattered (15 June 1999)
It has been a long month
15-Jun-1999
15 June 1999
Beyond the boundary - Dreams, Torn And Tattered
Shakil Kasem
It has been a long month. Four teams have now finally reached the
business end of England 99. They have braved the best opposition that
the world had pitted against them, they withstood the miseries of a
cold wet English summer, and they even managed to defeat the
complicated points system. On the flip side, some of them have paid
back the bookmakers' trust in them. Three more days remain, by the
end of which the world will crown the new kings of cricket.
While the select four plot and plan for the morrow, consider the
plight of some of the could-have-beens of this competition. Three
erstwhile world champions fell by the wayside, unable to cope with
the rigid demands of this day and age. There was an aura of mystique
and romance surrounding their previous performances, and they were
expected to live up to them all over again. In a harsh world, where
results are more important than style and flair, Sri Lanka, West
Indies and India were found woefully short of the business acumen
required, to survive in this cut-throat would of dog eat dog.
Sri Lanka landed on the shores of Old Blighty as reigning world
champions. They never played anywhere near the level expected of
them. The world watched in horror and stupefaction the frenetic
decline and demise of a team that had, only months ago, been one of
the most feared teams in contemporary one day cricket. The ageing
process, the result of the cruel dictates of time, had left its mark.
Try as they might, Sri Lanka never could battle the currents of time
and tide. Since 1996, Sri Lanka has made very few changes in their
line up. The nucleus remained the warriors who had fought those
classic battles in 1996. But this was a different day and age. They
did not have the answers to all those questions that the present
posed for them.
Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Roshan
Mahanama, Hashan Tillekeratne, household names only a few seasons
ago, could hardly have prayed more fervently than in this World Cup,
for the earth to move apart and swallow them en masse. Such was the
abject nature of their collective failures. The team looked aged and
fatigued. Their mental state was in shambles and they were easy prey
to the vultures in their group. If ever there was a side that had
death spelled all over it, Sri Lanka was that team. They proved every
prophet of doom right, by the manner in which they capitulated
against India. Sri Lanka now needs to go back to the drawing boards.
There is a whole lot that needs to be done. With the present state of
its cricket Board, and the internecine squabbling accompanying it,
even this task might have to be put on hold.
On the other hand, the West Indies always had the knack of proving
the pundits wrong. In fact, they had cultivated this quality into a
fine art over the years. Granted, the West Indies have been on a
decline, the past couple of seasons. But whenever they were written
off, they had bounced back with a vengeance. In spite of being a side
that was a pale shadow of their more illustrious predecessors the
West Indies could always be counted to stand their ground and hold
their own, against all comers.
In Brian Lara they had for a while the most destructive batsman of
the modern era. But Lara, in recent times had been fighting his own
personal battle with himself. He had become temperamental and tantrum
prone. It affected his batting and by extension the team, which had
come to rely so heavily on him. It seemed during Australia's tour of
the West Indies recently, Lara may have rediscovered his sublime
touch and form. By the time he arrived in England with a hand injury,
Lara had reverted to his old ways again. He played shots
uncharacteristic of him, selected the wrong balls to hit, inflicted
deep wounds on the rest of the side, by not being able to lead by
example.
The two fast bowlers Ambrose and Walsh toiled heroically, knowing
fully well the futility of it all. West Indies, the ifs and buts
notwithstanding, were not meant to set England on fire this summer.
Agonisingly, the future does not promise well for them either. More
and more youngsters in the Caribbean are taking to games other than
cricket simply because of the enhanced monetary benefits to be
derived. Cricket is a dying sport in the West Indies. After the
departure of the Walshes, the Ambroses and the Laras, West Indies may
go into suspended animation. In our own lifetime we have been
privileged to watch the heroics of this great cricketing nation.
Unfortunately, we now witness at close quarters the end of a great
era.
Except for India and Indian fans, it is doubtful whether the rest of
the cricket world takes the Indian team seriously. If the stars and
the moon are in harmony, and the rest of the planets in the
prescribed positions and orbit, the Indian side performs wonders.
Left on their own, they have problems chewing gum and crossing the
street at the same time. And this, despite having possibly the best
batting line up on view.
India manage to self-destruct for no apparent rhyme or reason. Now,
any team worth its salt fancies its chances against this team, which
is fast acquiring a reputation for being the favourite whipping boys
of international cricket. After every debacle, The Management decides
to go on a head hunting mission, passing the proverbial buck and
avoiding the crux of the problem, altogether. No doubt a similar
scenario will be enacted this time around. Trophies they may not be
able to win, the players however continue to remain the most pampered
and lavishly paid in the world. At least they get some things right.
While the world decides to take a break from their winning habits,
they can take a few pointers from the India players, on the art of
being successful without actually trying.
Enough said. All jhamela gone, let us concentrate on the rest of the
cricket.
Source :: The Daily Star