Kirsten opts to exorcise trauma at Lord's (20 June 1999)

20 June 1999

Kirsten opts to exorcise trauma at Lord's

The Electronic Telegraph

Gary Kirsten has begged the South African Broadcasting Corporation to help him gain access to Lord's to watch Australia take on Pakistan in today's World Cup final.

While the rest of the South African team went their separate ways yesterday still devastated by their amazing World Cup exit, Kirsten was insistent that he wanted to be at the final. The South African opening batsman felt that watching the game would be a way of cleansing his mind of the traumatic semi-final.

The international careers of South Africa's senior players could now be at an end as the ANC government press ahead with plans to force them to pick a number of black and coloured men for the Test and one-day sides. Hansie Cronje, Allan Donald, Jonty Rhodes and others may never represent their country again.

Poignancy, then, surrounded their tied semi-final against Australia. Tears flowed in the dressing-room for half-an-hour before the players regrouped at their Birmingham hotel. It was there that Lance Klusener, a big man in every sense, began to shoulder the blame in an attempt to protect equally culpable team-mates.

Klusener, who inexplicably set off for the single that cost South Africa their place in the final, quoted Costantino Rocca and Boris Becker, who tried to put sporting catastrophes into perspective. "I lost the World Cup. Nobody died," Klusener was heard to say.

While the South Africans headed in many directions, one player is unsure of his plans. Jacques Kallis was due to join Glamorgan, but has returned home to have a scan on the stomach muscle injury which almost kept him out of the semi-final. He is unlikely to play again this season, leaving Glamorgan seeking to gain permission for a replacement. Do not be surprised if an approach is made to Klusener.

Security remains a major issue today, as World Cup organisers insist they will require spectators to prove their identity to confirm they have not bought their tickets on the black market.

That could lead to chaos, with many Pakistan fans expected to try to gain tickets outside Lord's. Others have come up with cunning plans to gain entry.

Many fake media passes are said to be in existence, while organisers have been inundated with applications for the disabled section. No surprise there - except that many of the applicants want to bring 10 helpers each. . .

One punter stands to win a fortune whatever happens today. A customer of one of the spread betting companies will earn in excess of £700,000 after "buying" wides at the pre-tournament estimate of 300 at £1,000 each. With almost 1,000 wides so far, he is a wealthy man.

BBC Television will make a quiet exit from the cricket scene today when they screen their last match before Channel 4 take over the domestic rights.

There are no plans for any particular farewells, with presenter Jonathan Agnew saying: "There will be no sobbing or gnashing of teeth. Hopefully people will feel it's sad without us having to say so."

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph