Tag archive for "cricket"
In the lead up to the Ashes Rafiq Copeland remembers the highs and lows of living in England during two very different campaigns.
During last year’s Ashes Series I was living in the UK and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. Not to say that England was horrible in itself – I was living in the delightful Devon countryside – but as an Australian I had to put up with a lot of jokes at my expense. Even more than usual.
Where art thou Ishant Sharma? What has happened to you? Are you ok? I write as a concerned fan, and I write in hope of inspiring you back on track to become one of the greats. If I’ve got your attention, then please read on…
In the (Australian) summer of 2007/8 you toured down under and immediately won plaudits as a real ‘up-and-comer’. I’m sure you remember that none other than former captain Steve Waugh, a man known for recognising good talent, called you India’s most exiting talent. Steve knows a thing or two about fast bowlers Ishant, in fact when he made those comments I immediately thought of his amazing encounters with former West Indian great Curtly Ambrose, and how much you (at that time) reminded me of him. The similarities were of course apparent in your height, and the way you delivered the ball from the top reach of your arm, and also the way you bounced the ball of the pitch with venom. But more than all of this what really reminded me, and I think probably Steve Waugh, of Curtly Ambrose was your fiery passion.
On that first tour of Australia you certainly weren’t the top wicket-taker, but your spell against Ricky Ponting in Perth was something to behold, and then when Australia toured your home country later in 2008 you were unstoppable. 15 wickets at 27 with an economy rate of 2.9 in a winning series is really something Ishant, and it seemed obvious that you would only rise in stature from there. Your ODI form was also brilliant, with good performances against Australia and Sri Lanka, but something just went wrong, and that is why I write to you now to gently enquire on your wellbeing.
Perhaps you suffer from a serious case of ‘VVS Laxman disease’? This rare and potentially career-fatal disease was introduced by your teammate V.V.S. Laxman who seems to score runs for fun against Australia, but against all other teams, who have through most of his career been far less superior than Australia, he struggles. Maybe you just need to be up against those pesky, arrogant Aussies to get your competitive fires burning? Is that the answer Ishant?
Or maybe it’s the problem of too much cricket. Although you are still young, you’ve had to bowl a lot for your country and for the Kolkota Knight Riders in the IPL. Maybe all that bowling, often on slow pitches, has worn you out. Your competitive edge has certainly been your fiery nature, and I imagine this is the first to evaporate when you feel exhausted. We might even call this the ‘Shaun Tait disease’. Shaun just can’t get his body and mind together often enough to be a force for Australia in the long run, and maybe you feel the same.
Or perhaps finally it comes down to a false dawn? Maybe you were an exceptional talent who, once batsmen knew your style, ran out of tricks? You certainly seem pedestrian now, and often have a horrid economy rate. Batsmen just seem confident against you, which would have been unimaginable after that memorable afternoon in Perth not three years ago.
All in all I fear for you Ishant. The Indian selectors have kept faith; most probably because your contemporaries such as Sreesanth and RP Singh aren’t in great touch either, but also because they too remember your potential. My advice is to take a small break, have a chat to some mentors, and re-find your fire. Perhaps the best way to do that might even be to watch some old footage of the man who you remind me of most, Curtly Ambrose, because when it came to fire he was the hottest of all.
Best,
Blaise Murphet
More Great World Cricket Content:
New World Cricket Watch correspondent Rafiq Copeland delves into the political implications of an improving Zimbabwean team.
If you have been reading mainly cricket related news of late you might be excused for thinking the situation in Zimbabwe is looking pretty rosy. Not only have Zimbabwe just hosted a triangular one day series against Sri Lanka and India, but they have performed strongly, beating India twice and making the final. Team success was matched by strong individual performances. More importantly than this Zimbabwe’s much maligned cricket administration is apparently improving out of sight. The racist selection policies are seemingly a thing of the past. Former players with legitimate grievances against ZC seem to have come back to the fold. Player payments are no longer the pittance that they once were. And all of these improvements seem to be yielding results on the pitch.
Tragically the news being reported on the sports pages is not a perfect reflection of the wider situation in Zimbabwe. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently underscored the ongoing seriousness of the situation when she announced that the US would continue sanctions against the Mugabe regime and accused a ‘ruling clique’ in the Zanu PF party of profiteering and corruption. While Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change may be officially part of a power sharing government, the people who brought the country to its knees are still there. Much the same can be said of Zimbabwe Cricket.
Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute are currently both the subject of active EU sanctions and travel bans as a result of allegations of corruption and ties to the Mugabe regime and Zanu PF. Both have been banned from entering Australia. However, both retain key roles in Zimbabwe Cricket administration. Others with similarly shaky backgrounds also remain in important positions. While it is undoubtedly exciting to see new talent evolve, it is hard to ignore worries of contamination as long as the old guard continue to cast their shadow.
Zimbabwe Cricket’s significant but limited administrative progress has been highlighted in the media recently by another story unrelated to on field success – the furor over John Howard’s succession to the ICC vice presidency. Howard’s tough stance on Zimbabwe during his time as Australian Prime Minister (and first-cricket tragic) has been cited as a stumbling block to his assuming the ICC role. Famously Howard was against sporting sanctions being placed on apartheid-era South Africa, but changed his stance when faced with Zimbabwe’s turmoil. Given that the same people are largely in power in Zimbabwe now as then, the issue of sanctions must surely still apply.
The question that must be tackled is whether allowing a corrupt and despotic government and cricket administration to compete in the international arena is going to encourage reform, or reinforce the status quo. The argument that this question need not be asked, that sport is somehow beyond politics, is a position which cannot be defended. Given the popular sentiment and given the money that is involved in contemporary sport, it is impossible to argue that sport does not play a role in political power and legitimacy. The ICC and the international cricket community must take this role seriously.
Interestingly, although it has attracted the most attention, Zimbabwe is not the only country to present similar problems to the cricketing world. Recent events in Sri Lanka and Pakistan have also drawn condemnation from some circles. Afghanistan is another interesting case. In their own more humble way the fledgling Afghan national team – many of whom learnt the game in refugee camps across the Pakistani border – are making are making a splash on the international stage. Given the Afghan government is in the process of making peaceful overtures to the Taliban, should the ICC be considering Afghanistan’s position? The answer is probably not. North Korea’s presence in the FIFA World Cup is proof enough that cricket is not the only sport facing these particular challenges.
At this stage, while Zimbabwe does appear to be making progress, it seems that they should be allowed to compete in the international arena, and even encouraged to return to test status. But it must be clear that their position is based on sustained and substantive development in political and administrative transparency as well as continued improvement on the cricket pitch. Simply ignoring what happens off the pitch in Zimbabwe is not an option.
Recent Cricket Stories
There was a time when a cricketing tour of India was something to be reckoned with. Touring teams not only had to face the perils of players such as Bedi, Azharuddin and Tendulkar, but they had to be able to cope with the absolutely singular experience of playing cricket in India. The grounds were mysterious, the food was exotic, and the pitches were unlike anything found in any other cricketing country. Fast forward to the super-charged atmosphere of today’s cricket, and in particular the IPL, and it’s easy to see how this mystique has evaporated. You see, in their quest for the big bucks, the Indian Cricket Board (ICB) has sold out one of their national trump cards. The days of feared tours to India are surely gone, as more and more players flock to the country once a year to play in the IPL.
One Hand One Bounce – A Cricket Podcast Ep7
Ashes 2010: Life of an Aussie in England during the Ashes
England vs Pakistan 1st Test Day 1 Highlights
The Reverse Sweep – What’s Hot in Cricket Right Now?
Sri Lanka vs India 2nd Test Day 3 Highlights
Sri Lanka vs India 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights
Where art thou Ishant Sharma? An open letter to a fading Indian quick
Sri Lanka vs India 2nd Test Day 1 Highlights
