By Rahul Nair - 27 April 2004
May 1 2004

The Pak tour is over. Sehwag is a married man. Streak and his buddies have revolted (and the ECB may escape fines and censure after all.) But perhaps the most important event in recent cricketing history happened in a closed testing lab in Western Australia. MANY FANS, NO FANFARE
The Indian team returned home after a trip to Pakistan where they covered themselves in immortal glory. Ajit Wadekar’s victorious team was given a ticker-tape parade in Mumbai on a slow-moving motorcade, with fans running along and cheering them all the way. One would have hardly been unreasonable for expecting an even bigger felicitation for Ganguly’s team when they landed at Indira Gandhi airport in Delhi.

Unfortunately, nothing of the sort transpired. Election fever having gripped the country, politicians ended up co-opting one of India’s biggest cricketing triumphs. Sahib Singh Verma hijacked the man whom every young fan in Delhi had turned out to see: Virender Sehwag. Even Sehwag’s parents had little idea about when they would get to see their son. Most of the other cricketers were whisked away through a back entrance by the airport security, leaving hundreds of justifiably proud and eager fans disappointed.

Individual functions were held by local boards in appreciation of the efforts of this Indian team. However, one couldn’t help but miss the explosively joyous celebration of a ticker-tape parade. Dravid did say after both series that the team would take the time to savor these wins, if only to cherish the winning sensation and keep them hungry for success. One wonders if a parade wouldn’t have been one such motivating factor. After all, even the city of New York has a ticker tape parade for their beloved Yankees, even if they beat a team called the Mets from the adjoining borough in what passes for their version of a “World Series.”

OFF-SEASON BLUES
Irfan Pathan is set to travel to England to play in the county circuit. He has to be careful not to get over bowled at this stage. Harbhajan’s rehabilitation is proceeding very nicely. There is still not much news coming out of the Indian camp about Zaheer’s Khan’s injury and treatment. Leipus had a big meeting with Dalmiya where he gave his recommendations for a holistic fitness program that would raise overall fitness standards among domestic cricketers as well. John Wright has taken time off to be with his family in New Zealand. However, most Team India members will be getting married or traveling or modeling or generally taking some time off. A ‘masala’ match had been proposed by U.A.E. officials between India and Pakistan, but as of now, the BCCI has stated that it will not allow any of its senior players to participate. So, for now, Indian cricket fans are displaying all the signs of cold turkey, until July 16, when they play U.A.E. in the Asia Cup. One hopes the BCCI uses the opportunity to give the fringe players a chance to show what they have to offer.

ECB GETS OUT OF JAIL
The implosion in Zimbabwe’s cricket structure must have come as a relief to the beleaguered English Cricket Board, which was facing the prospect of a stiff fine and being denied the hosting rights to the ICC Knockout Tourney in September. Thankfully, Tatenda Taibu’s elevation to the youngest ODI skipper followed by the lowest score in that format against a second string Sri Lankan side at home meant ICC had to issue a stern warning to the ZCU to get things in order. At the time of this report, Heath Streak had been approached by the Zimbabwe cricket authorities about a mediator, but until something concrete happens, it will be mere lip service. The core issues, regarding merit-based selection and non-interference by political interests, however, continue to remain unaddressed.

DOCTORS OF SPIN
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe-Sri Lanka ODI matches held more than a passing interest for scribes (apart from Taibu playing as skipper, batsman, keeper and bowler). Muttiah Muralitharan was returning to international cricket after being officially warned by the ICC against bowling his “doosra,” which has been deemed illegal after a series of tests at the University of Western Australia. However, according to reports, he got Steve Matsikenyeri in two successive matches with the doosra. Does this mean that Muralitharan will be pulled up or even banned from cricket, since the ICC warning unequivocally stated that he would be banned for 12 months if he persisted in bowling the doosra? Clearly, the match referee’s reports from this series will be eagerly awaited. The general feeling coming from the ICC is that this is the beginning of a long-awaited exercise to finally arrive at some kind of resolution to the constant flouting and reinterpretation of Law 24. Other bowlers around the world too are under the ICC throwing committee’s scanner and will be duly pulled up. So the Murali case will be all the more important, since it will provide a benchmark for every future case to come up. Which is why, the accusations by the Sri Lankan Board against match referee Chris Broad’s alleged boozing around with the Australian players during the Lanka series have to be fully investigated and addressed, if only to provide the appearance of total impartiality. In any case, given that Sri Lanka are being very reluctant to disclose the UWA report, it is not difficult to assume that Murali’s action has a flexion beyond the current limit of five degrees for a spin bowler not just for the doosra, but also for his stock deliveries. Any kind of foot-dragging over disclosing the full report from the UWA can only make it worse for Murali when he does get past Courtney Walsh’s world record mark of 519 wickets in the Tests to follow in Zimbabwe. (This is, of course, assuming that the matches go ahead and some other new fiasco doesn’t hit Zimbabwe cricket in the meanwhile.) Already, the murmurs have begun: On the one hand is the so-called “racist conspiracy” to deny Murali the chance to break Walsh’s record so that Warne can get there first. (As laughable as the grassy knoll theory, in this column’s opinion.) On the other hand are the purists who insist that even if Murali does break the record, it will have a question mark against it, because of the constant concerns over his action. What they perhaps forget is that, whatever be his action, Murali has also got amazing talent to back it with – making his action even more diabolical in some cricketers’ books.

LAST WORDS
This may yet prove to be a welcome break from international cricket for the likes of Pathan, Balaji and Kumble.

Meanwhile, back home, Abhijit Kale, the man accused of bribing selectors More and Roy, will face a disciplinary committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India for his final hearing on April 29.

Virender and Aarti Sehwag have left for their well-deserved European honeymoon.

Shoaib Akhtar was in Mumbai to shoot for a TVS commercial. He used the occasion to scope out Gautam Singhania’s Lotus and spend a few photo-opportunities with cancer-stricken kids at King George Hospital. Evidently, he is having his fun before going home to face the music. However, if the initial reports coming out of Pakistan are to be believed, the debacle against India is being principally attributed to Inzamam’s “inability to inspire his team-mates.”

In the antipodes, fast bowling fans were happy to hear of Shane Bond’s return to competitive cricket after the 2003 World Cup. With Astle and Bond back in the line-up and their young turks firing, this New Zealand team looks to be on the verge of great things. If all the bowlers are fit, it should be a great contest in England with Harmison, Jones and Flintoff facing off against Bond, Tuffey and Martin. The bat has been holding sway for such a long time in cricket that even the first individual score of 400* didn’t cause too many ripples. One yearns for the days of great bowling attacks like the Windies quartet facing off against the Aussies or Pakistan’s Imran, Wasim and Waqar days.

Lastly, the BCCI has been dragging the issue of player contracts for almost two years, with assorted stand-offs and compromises galore having happened in the interim. Given that the contracts are not yet in place, is the BCCI justified in telling the Indian players not to participate in a festival match during the off-season for some extra cash?