da brdice： Long distance Test match fever is not the same as being there andsuddenly I wished that I was with the team and at Lord’s
Omar Kureishi16-May-2001Long distance Test match fever is not the same as being there andsuddenly I wished that I was with the team and at Lord’s. I would haveenjoyed meeting old friends in the press-box, such as those who arestill around and are able to hobble their way up the stairs.Pakistan has had very little preparation and appeared to havesquandered a priceless opportunity at Canterbury to give the batsmenmuch needed batting practice, particularly Yousuf Youhana and Inzamamul-Haq. What was the point of declaring the innings, in the processrobbing Saleem Elahi of a chance to make a hundred? No medals will begiven if Pakistan win the match against Kent. Every visiting teamwould have opted for batting practice ahead of the Test match. Itseems to be an incredibly daft decision.One might have understood it if Shoaib Akhtar had been playing andPakistan wanted to give him a long bowl. But he wasn’t playing. He wascooling his heels in the dressing room. One would imagine thatPakistan’s think-tank comprises of the manager, captain and vicecaptain. But there is no law against getting an input from WasimAkram. He has more experience than the experience of the three rolledtogether.We are getting mixed signals about Shoaib Akhtar. The comments of thecaptain are guarded and don’t seem encouraging, at least, as far asthe first Test is concerned. Let there be no two opinions about ShoaibAkhtar. He can become a vital member of the team and every effort mustbe made to get him ready. He has his own bowling coach with him andone presumes he’s working hard on Shoaib.But Shoaib also needs to get mentally tough as against his showmanantics. I recently saw a film on ESPN on the career of Muhammad Ali.He too was brash and cocky when he knocked out Sonny Liston but he wasnot all “mouth.” Shoaib has brought some of his troubles on his selfthrough some ill-considered statements. I am told that he did hiscause no good in New Zealand by either calling John Reid a ‘racist’ orimplying that he was one. I was not surprised that two New Zealandumpires questioned the legality of his bowling action.Umpires are human not only in respect of the mistakes they may makebut in social relations as well. There was no love lost between theEngland umpire David Constant and the Pakistan team. In 1987, in theOval Test match, he warned Abdul Qadir for running on the wicket andQadir was not even wearing spikes and was a slow bowler. In 1992, anumpire was overheard in a pub admitting that he “did not like Pakis.”The indications are that Shoaib may be left out of the team for theLord’s Test match and this should give a chance to Mohammad Sami. Asmentioned in an earlier column, Lord’s is not the easiest wicket tobowl on because of the “ridge.” In the month of May the ball will alsoswing and many bowlers have found it difficult to control the swing.Sami, if he should get a chance, would be advised to concentrate online and length and not look for extra pace.Surprisingly, both Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed were played atCanterbury. I hope that Pakistan is not thinking of going in with twospinners. Saqlain is much more “current” with English conditions andwould seem to be an obvious choice. Pakistan must go in with fourseamers and a spinner. But the final word on the Test match might bethe weather.I have been watching the South Africans playing against the WestIndies and the games have been no-contests. It breaks one’s heart tosee the once might West Indies reduced to such a sorry state. But thatis another matter.What’s left me dumbstruck is the fielding of the South Africans. Theyhave raised it to another level, out of reach of other teams andHerschelle Gibbs and Jonty Rhodes give the impression of having somefrom a different planet. Both can be described as all-rounders, theywould find a place in the team on their fielding alone.But Gibbs also happens to be the world’s number one opening batsman.He revealed the key to his success. He learnt much from Desmond Hayneswhen Haynes played for the Western Province in South Africa and whilehe has been in the West Indies, Gibbs has been talking to Viv Richardsas well. It is wonderful to see these two great players passing ontheir experience to younger players.The question arises: why has the West Indies not taken these two greatcricketers on board and got them to give the benefit of theirexperience to the young West Indian batsmen? But it takes two tango. Ateacher must be ready to teach and a student must be ready to learn.It is this last point which needs to be emphasised. Obviously, Gibbsdid not consider himself such a great player that he found it belowhis dignity to ask for help from Haynes and Viv Richards.For whatever reasons, there was a communication-gap between JavedMiandad and the players. Otherwise, the younger batsmen could havelearnt much from him. But it was not to be and the loss wasPakistan’s. On the present tour of England, beyond what Richard Pybuscan coach, bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami could do wellto hang around with Wasim Akram and pick on his vast experience.Natural talent has to be supplemented with learning from the masters.