World's best go head to head in carnival finale (19 June 1999)
Light the blue touch paper and stand clear
19-Jun-1999
19 June 1999
World's best go head to head in carnival finale
David Lloyd
Light the blue touch paper and stand clear. Tomorrow's World Cup
final should carry a government health warning: "This game will not
be for the faint-hearted."
The two best teams in the competition will contest the final, Wasim
Akram's Pakistan and Steven Waugh's Australia. Wasim versus Waugh is
a contest in itself, one which will eclipse even the showdowns
between Hansie Cronje and Waugh in two epic games in the past week.
They are cricketers whom I admire greatly. They are men of stature,
with tremendous presence on the field, world-class performers who
represent the image and culture of the modern cricketer.
When the going gets tough, just watch Australia get going. After an
indifferent start Waugh said: "We need to win our last seven games to
lift the trophy." He had not reckoned on the tied match against South
Africa, but his side rose to his challenge.
Wasim's team wobbled at the start of the Super Sixes and he singled
out Shoaib Akhtar for some gentle criticism, and said the batting at
the top was not producing. Saeed Anwar responded with two cracking
centuries.
In England we are making such a big play about who will be the next
coach. It is not a big deal. Here we are at the final of the World
Cup and I give you a quiz question: who are the coaches of the two
teams? Answer: Geoff Marsh of Australia, who is unbelievably low
profile; and as for Pakistan, well, I haven't a clue, he seems to
change every season.
The teams' identity is very firmly with the captains. Both are
fiercely proud and patriotic and will contest this final not for
themselves, nor the team, but for the honour of their country.
Let us look at Australia first. They were dead and buried in the last
over of the semi-final after being well and truly Klusenered. Yet
somehow they kept their nerve and everyone did the right thing when
the run-out occurred. It speaks volumes of the team - they simply
refuse to lie down. They have a real backbone with the two Waughs,
Michael Bevan, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. Warne and McGrath -
what a combination, two of the best bowlers the world has seen.
All the main players will relish the big stage that is Lord's, but
don't be surprised if the supporting players upstage them: Adam
Gilchrist, Darren Lehmann and Tom Moody can all boss the situation,
Ricky Ponting will be awesome in the field and is striving for
recognition as a batsman of the highest quality, and if conditions
are right, Damien Fleming and Paul Reiffel will be a handful and not
just support for McGrath.
Now for the helter-skelter, rollercoaster Pakistan team. I have had
close contact with Wasim over the years through the Lancashire
connection. The Lancashire players nicknamed him 'King' and no less a
judge than Ian Chappell says that he is the best captain in the
competition. He will be looking for a personal performance here, too,
because he has never really fired in Lord's finals. This could be the
one.
His team are accused of being volatile. Nonsense. Oceans of flair,
unpredictable and very, very crafty, yes, but they have an uncanny
knack of finding a few likely lads and giving them a game. Take
Wajahatullah Wasti and Abdul Razzaq: I'm not sure all their
team-mates really know them, but they are key members of the team
after so little experience.
Shahid Afridi bats a bit, bowls a bit and can be very dangerous in
the Klusener mould. Moin Khan is the most voluble wicket-keeper I've
ever heard, and he plays shots down the order that haven't been
invented yet.
Pakistan have the best opening batsman in the world in Saeed, Ijaz
Ahmed can spank the ball to all parts, and then there's
Inzamam-ul-Haq. He's the butt of jokes about running between the
wickets - if he calls "yes" that is just a basis for negotiations -
truly Comptonesque, but he has great touch and is immensely powerful.
The competition's most talked about player is Shoaib. We had heard
all about his pace and now we've seen it. He's the fastest bowler in
the world and his approach to the wicket is breathtaking. The
subtlety and guile comes from Saqlain Mushtaq, the best
finger-spinner in the world, alongside Muttiah Muralitharan. Like
Murali, Saqlain can move the ball 'the other way' and it's hard to
believe that he's so young.
So, the Carnival of Cricket comes to London, Lord's will be shaken to
the rafters. Different cultures will come together to make this
cricket's greatest day. Nobody will be snoozing along to the gentle
tap of leather on willow. This is cricket 1999 style - flags waving,
whistles blowing, drums banging and bands playing nothing in
particular. There will be the odd 'eskie' on view, too. Some of the
best players in the world lock horns tomorrow morning. It should be a
fantastic day.
Source :: The Electronic Telegraph