Beyond the boundary - Midnight's Children (16 June 1999)

16 June 1999

Beyond the boundary - Midnight's Children

Shakil Kasem

After the many ups and the more downs of England 99, the circle of Circe, so to speak is complete. The music is almost over and the lights are being dimmed. What might be the thoughts splashing through the minds of the semi-finalists? There may just be more than one thought, whilst returning home from the party.

"Did I, while being a smarty/ Yet some wry reserve slyly keep/ So they'd muttered as I left the party/ He's deep, he's deep, he's deep?" One can think of more than one captain who may be quoting Updike in his sleep, before leaving England for home. Hopefully on a winning note. For several weeks now, they had shared the spotlight with the best of the best. It is time now to soak oneself in the sort of satisfaction that is born out of a job well done. Time also for some to drown in the depths of despair, both deep and maudlin.

The four best teams in the world are at the point of no return. The world would only remember the team that can scale the peak. Semi-finals and the final are of meaningless concern, if the biggest prize at stake cannot be claimed. The two matches being played today and tomorrow, will set the tone for what the future might reward at Lord's on Sunday.

Pakistan have maintained their ratings, in spite of some embarrassments and hiccups along the way. They have surprised all and sundry by the sustained level of gritty determination throughout this tournament. They had faltered when least expected, but showed enough strength of character and resilience to be where they are at the moment. A lesser team would have met an early death. At times with their backs to the wall, they had found immense reserves of will to extricate themselves from the most compromising of situations. The last team that tried to stand in their way, have come to learn that playing this particular Pakistani side, has its peculiar downside.

New Zealand, which had surprised every cricket pundit, by convincingly outplaying India and thereby putting paid to Zimbabwean pretensions, are not a team to be taken lightly. They are probably nowhere near the class of their opponents today, but can perhaps expect their batsmen to win them the match. The bowling does not augur well for them, with military medium being their only forte and spin totally non-existent. A case could perhaps be made of Daniel Vettori's inclusion. Typically, Pakistan just might pull a fast one and play Mushtaq. That would surely put the cat amongst the pigeons.

Pakistan would certainly be relying on their tried and tested quartet of fast bowlers, who have served them admirably so far. Early breakthroughs are the order of the day for both sides. Pakistan, more than New Zealand, look like making the early inroads. This might acquire significant implications should Pakistan be required to defend their total. The batting of both sides have still left a bit more to be desired, but here again the greater store of experience, not to speak of class, might tilt the scales in Pakistan's favour. Unless the dramatic transpires, Pakistan seem to have the match in their bag. Or, am I going to be caught with my Kierkegaard down again?

Tomorrow, South Africa and Australia look to a sequel for the classic duel they fought the other day. A fatal dropped catch has now placed South Africa in a predicament, where they not only have to hold their nerve, but also beat the Australians at their own game. Anything otherwise, is a fate worse than death. More than any other team in this competition, South Africa had been under the most pressure. They have promised much over the years but still have not bagged cricket's biggest catch. The team has been considered the ultimate one-day machine, and their management and the selectors at home have dropped enough thinly veiled hints to Hansie Cronje to suggest that perhaps now is as good a time to deliver the goods, considered long overdue.

This is the time when performance must be made to count, to justify all the efforts, innovations and typical South African novelties that have been introduced into the game, to be justified. But South Africa are handicapped by a very predictable bowling attack. Unless Allan Donald and company pull something extraordinary out of the blue, they might fall short of being able to dampen Steve Waugh's aspirations. In every sense of the term, the pressure on South Africa is an implosion from within.

Australia, like Pakistan, are no strangers to this scenario. They had won a World Cup before, and have been considered for long as being the best in the one-day business. The skipper himself epitomised the Australian spirit when South Africa played them last and everything seemed over for the Aussies, bar the shouting. Australia have made their move, and seem to have peaked at just about the right time. They are a no-nonsense side, single-minded in their approach and aggressive to the core. South Africa certainly does not have any misconceptions about this side. When the Aussies take the field, the message is obvious. Beneath the surface layer of antagonism, lies another layer of genuine hostility. The Australians want this Cup. Could I be wrong? Perhaps. But whoever gets past Steve Waugh and his men, deserves the title. The Aussies are the ultimate acid test.

At the moment, cricket in its highest form is likely to be on display. We can take comfort from the fact that, even being in the backwaters of the sport, we too had played a part in the greatest cricket fiesta of them all. And why not, if Pakistan were perchance to win this competition, we may even permit ourselves the luxury of wearing an indulgent smile! Part smug, part cryptic.

Source :: The Daily Star