Afro-Asia Cup, 2005
Afro-Asia Cup, 2005
Tony Cozier
15-Apr-2006
When rumours first emerged from India that an intercontinental one-day
challenge series was being organised between teams representing Asia and
Africa, they were greeted with a mixture of scepticism and confusion, and
a degree of contempt. And when the tournament actually materialised, in
South Africa in August 2005, it soon became clear that it was basically
designed to raise money.
Asian television audiences are, it seems, insatiable in their desire to watch
cricket - and Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former Indian board chief, had worked
his undoubted administrative magic to conjure up a tournament expected to
raise $12m over its three-year lifetime. According to Dalmiya, the money
would bring his long-held dream to reality: "When I was a student I dreamed
that cricket would become a truly global game," he said, "and the money
raised by this tournament will go towards developing the game in smaller
cricket-playing countries on both continents."
Dalmiya was at the forefront of establishing an eight-strong committee
to approve and oversee the distribution of funds: rather than simply handing
out dollops of cash to countries like Nepal, Afghanistan, Uganda and
Botswana, the committee planned schemes such as age-group competitions.
It proved difficult, though, to nail down precise details of how much cash
was involved and where it was going. "I can't answer that question," admitted
Cassiem Sulliman, who was in charge of the African side of the operation.
"You'll have to ask Jagmohan Dalmiya."
Apart from the development plans, the organisers also announced that
10% of the profits would be donated to charities dedicated to fighting
blindness, which afflicts so many people on both continents. It was a gesture
that made the tournament much less unlovable.
Inzamam-ul-Haq dutifully spoke of his pride at being selected to lead the
Asian squad, while his vice-captain Muttiah Muralitharan mentioned the
honour involved in representing Asia at anything. Privately, however, they
were at a loss to understand the point of the venture, but were happily
consoled by the conviviality of the welcome they always receive in Durban,
home to the largest expatriate Asian community anywhere, and by the prize
money, which, at $100,000, was pretty good compensation for a week's
work. Not that it felt much like work.
Whereas Asia could have produced two more teams as strong as the one
that was chosen, a full-strength African squad would have included only one
non-South African, Heath Streak, and possibly his fellow Zimbabwean
Tatenda Taibu. So while it was a whirlwind experience for those two and
the three Kenyans who were picked, the South African players were inclined
to treat the whole exercise as, well, exercise. "I can't say I'm as excited about it as I would be if I was playing for South Africa," admitted Jacques
Kallis. "It's just another game of cricket, like a pre-season warm-up, because
it's obviously not strength versus strength."
Try as the organisers might, there was an air of unreality about the games,
which started at noon so they would conclude at Indian prime time. The
main talking point among the smattering of 1,000 or so spectators for the
first match at Centurion was the state of the outfield: it had been spraypainted
green to disguise the effects of the dry Highveld winter, which kills
the grass and turns it white.
Even the dates were ill-chosen - the first game coincided with Zimbabwe
playing (and losing) a Test match against New Zealand up the road in
Bulawayo, thus preventing 50% of Africa's Test teams from providing any
players at all. The cricketing world was somewhat more engaged by the
Ashes series in England. And finally the overall result was inconclusive. The
African XI squeaked home in the first match, Asia were more comfortable
winners of the second one - and the Durban weather closed in on the final
instalment, leaving this ersatz tournament all-square at 1-1.
Supporters and optimists cited golf's Ryder Cup as an example of how
popular and successful intercontinental sport can become, but, if all great
things have humble beginnings, these were very humble ones indeed. The
ICC's decision to grant full one-day international status was a curious one,
given that its own Anti-Corruption Unit had concluded four years earlier
that meaningles one-day games were the most likely targets for match-fixers.