CAPE TOWN, 6 March 2003 — India have approached three other leading teams in the World Cup Super Sixes to join a bid to switch the second semifinal from a day-nighter into a day game. A source close to the India team said they feared the toss could have a huge influence on the result of the Durban match on March 20.
Jagmohan Dalmiya, however, the head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), told Reuters in New Delhi by phone that it was an unofficial approach and would not be taken further if it caused a furor. “We have not made any official complaint. I have myself been involved in a World Cup and I know the problems involved in a last-minute change,” he said.
“We have only spoken to them (other Super Six teams) unofficially and all we are saying is that if it is not an insurmountable problem...it would be nice if they changed it. We are not going to make an issue about it.”
World Cup executive director Ali Bacher made it clear he would oppose any switch. He added that statistics showed that the toss was not crucial for day-night matches in Durban, with games won in equal measure by sides batting first and second.
“You can’t change it (the time of the match). Thousands of people are coming to South Africa for the semis and final and have booked their flights, while broadcasters around the world would not be supportive. They have already planned their programs,” he said. “The time of the match was agreed and announced by the International Cricket Council way back in October 2001. “And day-nighters are the most spectacular form of one-day cricket.”
Seven World Cup matches have been staged as day-nighters in Durban and Cape Town. Five teams winning the toss went on to win the game, while Monday’s match between South Africa and Sri Lanka ended in a tie. Pakistan captain Waqar Younis called for the semifinal match to be switched to a day game earlier in the tournament after his side lost the toss and the match against England in a Cape Town day-nighter.
Pakistan, though, were knocked out of the tournament in the first round. Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand are the top sides in the last six along with India.
Australia coach John Buchanan, while unconvinced that sides batting second are at a disadvantage in Durban, has said he wanted to avoid the second semifinal because of the uncertainty over what influence the toss had on day-night results. The first semifinal in Port Elizabeth on March 18 is a day match.
Criticism Helped Indian
Team Pull Together: Wright
Indian coach John Wright said yesterday the criticism that had been heaped on his team after a poor tour of New Zealand earlier this year had helped their World Cup campaign. “We had problems adjusting to the unusual conditions in New Zealand,” the former Kiwi opener said. “It probably helped us because we took a lot of criticism. Some of it was justified and some of it wasn’t, but it brought us together. What we needed to do was work on our confidence, particularly with our batting. That is starting to happen.”
Wright said his team would not under-estimate outsiders Kenya in the World Cup Super Six match at Newlands tomorrow. “We played them three times on our last tour of South Africa last season,” said Wright. “On two occasions we beat them easily and on one occasion they beat us. We’re preparing exactly the same way we have for our other games.”
Wright said India had played well in a tough group to qualify for the Super Six and had come through some pressure situations. “The boys are playing well. As long as our preparation is intense we should be fine.”
He said the team’s batting had been good and he was pleased with the improvement in the way the batsmen were running between wickets. “We’re learning about one-day cricket and particularly about the importance of rotating the strike.”
