BEFORE I write a word about the Super Series whose first half ended in Australia last week, I find it a moral compulsion to first express my sorrow and grief over the widespread damage and agony in the wake of the unfortunately huge earthquake that hit parts of the country a few days ago. The images that I saw on television screen of the devastation caused by the earthquake were seriously tragic and my heart goes out to the victims. In my humble capacity, I will be willing to contribute in whatever and whichever way possible, and I am sure that the feelings of the entire nation are very much the same.
The relief activity I saw being undertaken at individual level in various parts of the city, and indeed across the country, has given me enough cause to feel optimistic about our collective future as a nation. The whole activity has been spontaneous and voluntary, and it represents a substantial silver lining on an otherwise dark cloud caused by the devastating earthquake.
Coming to the main course on the agenda, the One Day part of the Super Series between Australia and the World XI ended on a rather damp note. This was certainly a long way off from what was generally expected. However, as it turned out, the intensity on the Australian side was much more than anything that the World XI was mentally prepared to handle.
The Australians were out to prove a point after their loss in the recent Ashes series in England, and the foul, almost intimidating, media the team got on its return home. They were stung by all the criticism, and took it as an opportunity to redeem themselves. And the thumping margins of victory in all the three matches of the series now confirm that at least as far as One Day Internationals are concerned, the Australians very much remain the World Champions.
There was never much doubt about the cricketing skills of those selected. There indeed were certain reservations about the selectors’ preference of a few players over some of the others in international cricket, but there was absolute unanimity about the basic talent of the individuals named in the squad. What was in serious doubt, however, was the ability of these players to behave like a unit, supporting each other and working towards a common cause. Almost all of them are superstars, and have a larger-than-life existence in their own right, which, in a certain manner, meant super-egos as well.
But more than anything else, the basic reason behind the failure of the World XI to gel together, as I see it, is the inability of the team management and, especially, the captain to work towards that target effectively. From the start till the very end, it remained a bunch of brilliant players who formed a pathetic team.
Shuan Pollock, whose elevation to the post of captain had been roundly criticised before the start of the series, came a cropper at the end of it. He was named the captain even when he was not found fit enough by his own board for the job, and was replaced by Graeme Smith, who was almost a novice at the time the change had taken place. Leading the World XI, Pollock stood exposed as a starkly unimaginative captain, following fixed plans that were surely discussed in the dressing room beforehand. Rarely did he venture to make changes according to what was needed to be done in view of the match situation. Though they won’t concede in public, the World XI selectors will have realized by now what a grave mistake that made on what should have been a purely cricketing decision. Will Graeme Smith clear the test? There is no way of knowing that at the time of writing, but the task is herculean by all means. What might work in the favour of World XI will be their 0-3 loss in the One Day series; just as the Ashes loss did the trick for the Australians.
BEFORE I write a word about the Super Series whose first half ended in Australia last week, I find it a moral compulsion to first express my sorrow and grief over the widespread damage and agony in the wake of the unfortunately huge earthquake that hit parts of the country a few days ago. The images that I saw on television screen of the devastation caused by the earthquake were seriously tragic and my heart goes out to the victims. In my humble capacity, I will be willing to contribute in whatever and whichever way possible, and I am sure that the feelings of the entire nation are very much the same.
The Australians were out to prove a point after their loss in the recent Ashes series in England, and the foul, almost intimidating, media the team got on its return home. They were stung by all the criticism, and took it as an opportunity to redeem themselves. And the thumping margins of victory in all the three matches of the series now confirm that at least as far as One Day Internationals are concerned, the Australians very much remain the World Champions.
