World Cup fiasco: Lamentable showing at Lord's an inexcusable lapse (5 July 1999)
The dismal show of Pakistan at Lord's, the global headquarters of cricket, and the self-destruction made by the team as a whole in what was the last act of the seventh World Cup came as a stunning shock to the game's followers, not only those 30,000
05-Jul-1999
5 July 1999
World Cup fiasco: Lamentable showing at Lord's an inexcusable lapse
Lateef Jafri
The dismal show of Pakistan at Lord's, the global headquarters of
cricket, and the self-destruction made by the team as a whole in what
was the last act of the seventh World Cup came as a stunning shock to
the game's followers, not only those 30,000 packing the venue but
wherever cricket is played.
As the highest one-day glory was bagged by Australia when the winning
hit was clouted by Darren Lehman towards the cover boundary, hundreds
of their supporters charged on the field in delight, not the
Pakistanis as in other matches during the 38-day cricket carnival in
England. This time the latter wore saddened and forlorn faces as the
59-over throes of their squad ended in virtual nightmare.
To the utter surprise of the cricket watchers and the Pakistani
enthusiasts, the last effort turned out to be a pathetic morbidity.
As the statisticians have pointed out Pakistan's 132 was the lowest
total in a final during the 24-year history of the quadrennial World
Cup.
Many have questioned Wasim Akram's wrong reading of the pitch and his
option to bat first. The ball was kicking and whipping away and the
atmosphere with an overcast sky was propitious to put the Australians
in, whatever may be the fearless and cavalier style of their batting
after the end of their fallow period in the earlier part of the
competition. The critics' complaint may not be off the mark but
winning the toss is usually taken as an advantage, a sign of luck.
Was not the Pakistani batting frail, hesitant and devoid of strokes?
For some time the strip was helpful to the Australian seamers - Glenn
McGrath, Fleming and Reiffel - the latter two ordinary mortals in
other matches. Then came Shane Warne in the 22nd over to bowl his
magnificent, deceptive and lively leg-spin. The innings was over bar
the small academic details. The Australian bowler had been treated
with utter contempt in the initial stage of the extravaganza and even
in the Super Six - nil for 69 in the Kangaroos demolition of India,
one for 55 against Zimbabwe, two for 33 in the duel that was a
qualifier for the penultimate phase. He rose to heights in the
thrilling, extraordinary and fantastic tied semifinal against South
Africa when he routed the middle order of the Springboks, the spinal
column of their batting by fascinating leg breaks and charming
flight. His four wickets for 29 runs were a constant joy to the
connoisseurs, even though Australia were lucky to have earned the
verdict by what was described by the commentators as the proverbial
whisker. Only gutsy and intelligent handling of the bowler by sound
technique, stimulating batting could have tackled Warne, not by
tentative skill, crude attempt at facing the spinner. In fact the
limitations in the batting-line were exposed to the hilt not only by
Warne but by the Australian seam bowlers viz McGrath, Fleming and
Reiffel.
Supposing Australia would have been asked to go in first and set a
minimum of above 200 target; would the outcome have been different
with the sickening batting of the Pakistanis against their adversary?
Wajahatullah Wasti was out to a splendid catch in the slip by Mark
Waugh; but why should the batsman touch a ball running away from the
bat? In the semifinal against New Zealand, he had set up a new first
wicket World Cup record of 194 in partnership with Saeed Anwar. In
the final he showed lack of proper mode and method to open the
innings. Saeed Anwar too needed steady approach. Razzaq appeared to
be in a hurry and had to pay the penalty for it. He should have dug
in when the situation required care and watchfulness. For Inzamam, it
was a case of error of judgement by the umpire. Shahid Afridi also
returned to the pavilion with a border-line leg before decision. As
an experienced batsman Ijaz should have displayed some responsibility
but his stay at the crease, even though he scored the highest, 22,
and his downfall, tricked by Warne, made the Pakistani supporters
disappointed and disillusioned for he has been facing both spin and
fast bowling in the past with assurance and precision.
It was a sign of confusion in the Pakistani camp when one saw Moin
Khan elevated in the batting order or captain Wasim Akram preferring
to hold himself back for a lower slot. A poorer display in batting in
such a significant engagement as the final of the World Cup could not
have been imagined. Was it a repeat of the 1981-82 Test when Pakistan
had succumbed to their lowest 62 at Perth?
Australia had a tiny target to cross but despite Shoaib Akhtar's
booming pace they started in a powerful vein and lashed the short
balls - there were many - viciously. Even Saqlain, trying to work
hard on hope with his spinning art, failed to unruffle them. They
proceeded on their way to victory, admirably, without much
difficulty.
The fielding during the Australian innings was wretched, the pickup
and throw showed weariness in the extreme as if the match should be
handed over to the rival finalists on a silver platter, though the
game was literally over when the Australian turn to bat came. The
field arrangement was again flawed, hits went to the fence unchecked,
an infectious disease which should be contained for the future of
competitive cricket in the country.One presumes that the captain went
into the final without any proper paper work, without analysing the
strong points and the chinks in the armour of the Australians.
Perhaps the idea was that the electric pace of Shoaib Akhtar with the
brute force that he had in him would paralyze the Australians and
then the shrewd off-break of Saqlain would perplex and puzzle their
batsmen. The team did not plan and battle as a unit. The captain
should have inspired the players to sweat and perspire; this did not
happen. The semifinal result against the Kiwis and the Australian
stumble in the preliminary created a misconception in the minds of
the captain and the officials which led to their abject haplessness
in the Lord's final. One can presume that the cricket manager,
Mushtaq Mohammad, did not play his due and technical advisory role
for the team, which should have been magnetised for the occasion.
One expects Shoaib, the speed sensation, to concentrate on two-way
swing and control over line and length like some of the West Indian
pace masters of yore or the Australians Thomson and Lillee for then
he will be able to shake the batsmen as the Zimbabwean were quivering
when he threw the bombs in the Super Six encounter.
The approach by the batsmen was erroneous; the form and technique
were inconsistent. In most of the matches the recovery was belated,
perhaps too much was expected from the aggressive manner and style of
Moin Khan. Among the successes of the tournament the
wicketkeeper-batsman put his full weight into the game. Taken in
totality Saeed Anwar, Ijaz and Inzamam performed below par, even
though the opener had two successive centuries to his credit in the
latter part of the competition.
It will be pure injustice for the squad if an issue is made of
match-fixing. Woeful performance by the losing finalist in all
departments of the game made them capitulate in the last stage. No
doubt the bookmakers may have minted millions, if not billions, for
the losers were pre-match favourites. But that is general betting and
it happens in all big contests, not necessarily the World Cup. It was
a cricket loss and it should be taken as such.
Australians were the worthy winners of the highest honours. They had
a balanced combination and never looked back after having clinched a
crucial match from India. They retained their form and capacity to
fight upto the end. However, they had a wonderful and lucky tie
against South Africa, perhaps the match of the tournament, a hard
response to a pugnacious outfit. The South Africans, no doubt, lost
the semifinal but the quality of their cricket in the whole World Cup
proved that they are made of stern stuff, prepared to give of their
best.
Source :: The Dawn (www.dawn.com)