There is no doubt that these players will help them to
tide over the transitionary period that that their cricket is going through at
the moment. Williamson, McIntosh, Southee, Mckay and Hopkins will surely be heard
of more often in the future.
Amongst these young players, one to impress most was left
arm pace bowler Andy McKay. He had to wait till the third Test of the series to
make his debut. From what we saw of him, he has all the attributes of a good
bowler in the making. This is not to say that he will be another Richard Hadlee
or Shane Bond. But if he continues
to idolize them, he will certainly go places.
Talking of idolizing great players, especially
contemporary icons, is concerned; one could discern a slight misconception.
Andy McKay showed out to be a very modest young man when he captured the wicket
of Sachin Tendulkar as his very first in Test cricket. He was rightly beside
himself with glee. But did he have to apologies to the Indian public for
dismissing the little master and consequently deprive him of the chance of
scoring his landmark 50th Test century
McKay should have celebrated that prize scalp without
being apologetic about it, for, had he not earned and deserved it?
Cricket, like any other sports, is a hard fought game.
With all the gentlemanliness attendant on it, no quarter is asked for nor any
given. He ought to have taken
pride in the fact that he had made it difficult and eventually ended
Tendulkar's hopes of achieving that stupendous feat. Yes, the big crowd had
come to see their hero reach the landmark. But like Sachin himself, they did
not want that to be offered on a platter to him.
It is the ruthless pursuit of success and the
killer-instinct that goes with it that separates the boys from the men. McKay
himself will soon realize that. He must have been moved by the great
disappointment that he saw all round him.
His remark may show him out to be a fine sportsman. But in these days of
fierce competition, he is a part of the team that wants always to make life difficult
for the rival players.
Even as he savors that great batsman's wicket as his very
first in Test cricket, he will rightfully consider it as a stepping-stone to a
successful career in the game. He must value it as much as he believes that
Sachin himself would value his 50th century whenever it comes.
