Sports : life magnified

It had nothing to suggest it is going to be what it ended up in. The Guyanese batted a few more overs since I last posted and it looked,, with 7 wickets in hand, that it is going to be a comfortable victory. Certainly the commentators were laughing that its all but over but any thing can happen in one day cricket, despite not believing there was any thing left in the match except the last rites.

A few more overs down and we come to the end of the 46th over. People kept getting out to rash shots. The situation thus came to 3 wickets in hand, 4 overs and more than 6 runs an over required.

To add to the drama of the situation it was extremely dark. Bulbs in the guest pavilion where the crowds sat could be seen quite distinctively. No lights offerred to the batsmen to the astonishment of the commentators.

The 46th over gone and 3 overs to go, it was a tie by D/L system (Guyana would have won on past record in the tournament) and yet no light offered despite the batsman trying to flick to the leg side on two consecutive balls on the off side.

The 48th over finishing, the commentators put their money on Barbados. Light finally offered to the batsmen but they of course did not take it because they were behind in D/L.

And Benn, the tallest left hand spinner I have ever seen, who was sensibly bowling flat balls till then, decided to give a ball some flight to experiment. Lo and behold - a six! Guyana ahead on D/L now.

The umpires offer lights. The Guyanese batsmen go off to the dismay of the Courtney Browne and other Barbados players!

As the Ashes draw near, the first XIs of England and Australia are not clear yet. Specifically one place for both
teams.

First Australia

The batting is settled but for the 3rd seamer spot its a close call between Gillespie, Kasporwicz and underdog but fast gaining in ground because of poor form of Gillespie - Shaun Tait. I would hope Gillespie can gain back his form and play the first test match. Otherwise my feeling is the Australians will play it safe and opt for Kasporwicz and if Kasporwicz or Lee performs poorly in the first test, Tait may come in the second/third test. It would be too much of a risk to go for Tait in the opening test of the series.

The dilemna is amazing for the fact that not many were giving Lee a chance 2 months ago. I have always backed him to play because Australia needs a strike bowler to perform rather than a stock Kasporwicz kind of bowler to fill in the overs like in India.

For England

The remaining batting spot has a battle between Pieterson and Thorpe as indicated lucidly by the selectors some days back. Bell has been confirmed to play for now atleast. Thorpe is dependable, Thorpe is consistent. Yet he finds himself with a possibility of being omitted. This shows England players are in form more than any thing else. Its the first test and I put that argument again to play Thorpe despite a possible good showing by untested Pieterson in the remaining two one dayers because of it being the first test and risks in selection not the best thing to do at this point of time.

Coming to the West Indies

Its a question of who is available and not whom can we omit. West Indies cricket is doomed as they dont realise such tussles only mean the public - from whom the money comes (the real shareholders of a sport) lose interest. If they go, the sponsors go (Digicel is showing apprehensions already) and then there is no money to dispute any thing over!

Ambrose presents a very interesting view point. How can the players demand more money if they dont perform? Every one has been jumping the gun on blaming the WICB but it may be the player’s fault as well. For me, it doesn’t matter whose ault it is. It is like a company suffers if there is a trade dispute. In this case the company is the West Indies Cricket.

The downhill continues. Colin Croft shows his angst and anger and the question to be asked really is who benefits from all this. The WICB, Sri Lankan cricket board, the players or even the sponsors who seem to have agreed to some clauses with the WICB which the WICB cant backtrack.

Indian cricket had a similar problem earlier and thankfully better sense prevailed and the horrors of ambush marketing didnt mean India would have to field a second XI.

The spectators - real share holders of the game will not take the joke beyond a certain point. Already the selection process and the performance of the team is a joke.

Why should the Windies supporter root for the team if they cant see the best XI players on the field? There was the contract dispute before the series in South Africa, before the series in Australia, meant the team fielded a second XI in the home series versus South Africa and now such a disaster at the moment.

The ICC has decided to grant one day status to 5 more teams. Would I really have to live to see a Windies squad lose to one of such teams? I dread such a scenario and pray that day doesnt ever come.