Wills Cup: A view from the gully (30 October 1998)

30 October 1998

Wills Cup: A view from the gully

Tawfiq Aziz Khan

If your main strike bowler loses his way in the opening spell without any pressure and if that bowler is as experienced, as talented and as lethal as Wasim Akram, then no one can save you from humiliation. The other one Azhar Mahmud, another likely chap was so unimaginative that he hurled his medium pacers on this flat track with all the strength at his command. The result was there for all to see.

The erratic opening attack was backed by equally sloppy fielding by the Pakistanis. Of course they are never known to be good fielders but praised by critics mainly for the bowling and batting prowess. They are also known as a highly talented bunch and the same time have gained notoriety for their unpredictable behaviour on the field.

A target of 290 on this featherbed should not have been impossible for a side studded with batsmen, experienced and capable, yet these are the players turned out to be most irresponsible at the crucial moments. The way Sohail, Ejaz, Malik and Akram got themselves out can inspire their enemies point their fingers in some questionable direction. On a wicket that has been helpful to the medium and slow bowlers right from day one Pakistan should have taken a leaf out of the Indian experience on Wednesday. Saqlain tried a strategy in a critical stage of the game that was neither clever nor intelligent. His seven overs proved costly but this pitch he should have been among the wickets. But it was not his day.

The manner in which the Caribbean started their innings nobody would have been surprised had the crossed the 300 mark. Lara wanted to avoid spin in the evening and he was right in his decision to bat first on winning the toss. Wallace and Williams were having a ball as the Pakistan attack looked so innocuous and erratic. Wallace in particular was enjoying himself. But a packed house must have been thoroughly disappointed when Brian Lara made a quick exit. The world record holder for the highest individual innings in Test and first class matches was on grounds that have been treated on by his cricketing ancestors of the likes of Sir Garry Sobers, Rohan Kanhai, 'Sony' Ramadhin, Wesley Hall and Lance Gibbs exactly 39 years ago. On this ground they were defeated by a Pakistani team in a Test match. Thursday Lara and his men equalled the score, in a way.

Javed Miandad must be a very sad man, coming on the heels of the Test series loss to Australia, this tournament offered a chance to redeem themselves but that also slipped from their grips.

It is time for both Pakistan and West Indies to rebuild their teams for the biggest cricketing event next year. Both these teams are held in high esteem by the lovers of the game for their cavalier attitude.

But with Tendulkar, Saurav, Azhar and Jadeja round the corner supported by Jayasuriya, Atapattu, Arvinda and Arjuna the good times may not last long.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)