I suppose I wasn’t the only cricket-lover who spent the whole of Sunday reflecting on ‘what might have been’. Had everything proceeded as per plan, Pakistan would have taken on India in what would have been the biggest game of the competition. Scores of people had been waiting for this face-off. But trust the great game of cricket to assert its ‘unpredictable’ nature!
That Bangladesh took on Ireland instead of Pakistan clashing with India, illustrates the fact that no one can take anything for granted in this wonderful sport. I do hope that the men who failed to take their respective teams through to the Super 8s would have thought long and hard about what went wrong. They can make the most of this ‘crisis’ by introspecting and analyzing their mistakes, and then resolving never to be in such a situation again.
Two sides that have traditionally been as unpredictable as the game itself are England and South Africa. They will play each other later today in ‘do or die’ circumstances. Both sides need to win to keep their hopes alive for a semifinal berth.
England haven’t been as consistent as the South Africans of late, but Michael Vaughan’s side has managed to ‘hang in there.’ They are a side of extremes, in that they can be marvelous one day and mediocre the next. They have been plagued by injury problems in recent times, and their supporters would hope that there aren’t any scares at this stage of the tournament. But it has to be said that the England players should and must take a share of the blame. They need to be more professional in their outlook toward the sport. You can do the most remarkable things if you maintain a disciplined approach off the field, especially during a tournament as prestigious as this. Cricket has undergone several changes over the years, and in modern times, it is fitness — physical as well as mental — that makes the biggest difference between success and failure. A desire to ‘recharge the batteries’ and a reluctance to go ‘over the top’ between matches will have a positive impact on a player’s performance on the field.
Against the South Africans, who until recently were ranked No. 1 in the international ratings, England will need to deliver in every department. Vaughan’s side might just have lady luck on their side, if a particular World Cup tradition is maintained.
What happens to South Africa at critical stages of the World Cup of all events is one of the game’s unexplained mysteries. It’s a pattern that is more or less set in stone: a rousing take-off and then turbulence. In tournaments other than the World Cup, they have managed to bail themselves out, but in the big event itself, they have invariably crashed. The ‘chokers’ tag has haunted them since their return to international cricket in 1991, and happenings in the ongoing tournament seem to suggest that they are still struggling to shake it off. Take their game against Sri Lanka for instance. A walk in the park was made to look like a climb up a steep cliff. Then came the unexpected loss to Bangladesh and later a poor performance against New Zealand.
Graeme Smith will do his players a big favor if he impresses upon them the fact that no match is won or lost till the last run is scored or the last wicket taken. Every cricketer worth his salt has heard this maxim at some point in his career, but there are times when he needs to be reminded of it. Every member of the South African team should resist the temptation of leaving to others what he can himself accomplish. The same applies to England.
