A view from the Gully (7 June 1999)

7 June 1999

A view from the Gully

Tawfiq Aziz Khan

Lance Klusener stood between Pakistan and victory. This 27-year-old south-paw has mauled every bowler who has come his way and remained at large till Saturday. Coming in down the batting order, Klusener has successfully performed his rescue act right from their first match against India. Even in their match against Zimbabwe he belted the bowling in a futile attempt to save his team. Klusener is undoubtedly the hottest property of this World Cup so far. You need a strong whip for this rampaging African lion to be tamed. As with the bat he has proved his talent with the ball also pitching his military medium deliveries with great effect. No wonder he picked up his fourth man-of-the match award in six matches on Monday.

It was a good toss to win and a correct decision to bat on a bright sunny day. For once the Pakistani openers did not beat a hasty retreat but a 56 ball 17 by Wasti was no consolation. Razzaq is always confident yet always slow. His 30 runs scored in as many as 10 overs (60 deliveries) put the latter batsmen in crunch situation and encouraged the South African bowlers a lot. This is not good for a team that is billed as a favourite. As usual the rescue had to be done by Moin Khan and this plucky little cricketer did oblige once again. As long as he was at the crease Pakistan had a chance of putting up a reasonable score on the board. His 56 ball 63 is another testimony to his fighting qualities. It was quite obvious that the South Africans had done their homework and their bowlers maintained a line outside the off stump throughout the innings and bowled only 11 wides. All of them tried to be disciplined without being brilliant. When pressure builds up batsmen themselves commit mistakes.

Shoaib Akhter and Azhar Mahmood bowled beautifully and the South Africans were soon on the mat with half the side gone for 58 runs on board. With the speedgun in place for the first time in the tourney, Shoaib was naturally trying to prove a point. He produced a maximum speed of 95 miles an hour which to date is the highest by any bowler in this World Cup.

But Pollock and Kallis went about the repair job slowly and confidently. Pollock, a good bat, had to play his innings and this was the right occasion. These two steadied the boat from which Klusener, partnered by Boucher, could start his onslaught. His one chance to Saeed Anwar for surrender was refused by the latter and the Proteas won a very important match to be at levels with Pakistan and Zimbabwe on points.

Once again Pakistan bowlers have strayed the line offering a number of senseless deliveries to the opponents. A liberal dose of wides and noballs, almost in all their matches, only inflated the total of their opponents. The captain himself is guilty of such acts. Unless they take it up seriously and are more careful henceforth they will be up for trouble.

A very interesting coincidence took place on Saturday. Almost at the last stages of the match Klusener objected to Umpire David Shepherd about the ball and the umpires consulted between themselves and changed the ball much to the dislike of Wasim and Shoaib. A similar incident took place when Australia was batting against Pakistan. On both occasions the batting sides objected to the soiling of the white ball that led to the visibility problem in the fading light which was upheld by the umpires. It is the bowler who normally wants to change the ball when it loses shape or is damaged. Australia could not save the match but South Africa won theirs.

But the crooked suggestion Tony Greig tried to make on both occasions was disgusting and smacked of bad taste. When the ball is returned to the umpire after every over or at the fall of a wicket or during any other stoppage of play and when the TV cameras, sharper than his eyes, are always focused on the bowler with the ball, there is hardly any scope for foul play. In fact, the reverse swing with the old ball is no longer the exclusive trade of Pakistani bowlers. Quick bowlers of other teams like India, England and Australia are already doing that.

It is people like Tony Greig who are bringing the game of cricket to disrepute.

Source :: The Daily Star