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| Sunday, 19 September 2004 |
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Sri Lanka's parliament adjourned to enable MPs to follow Test cricket by A. C. de Silva Cricket is the sport that has made Sri Lankan followers shout with immense joy and even when the Lankans were not in the elite group of Test nations, the followers of the game gathered in their numbers at inter-school matches and when Test matches were played with commentaries being broadcast on radio, the cricket fans had their ears glued to the radio. Australia and the West Indies were two teams that provided the sparks in years gone by. Though the West Indies have now somewhat fallen down from the high pedestal, the Australians still continue to dominate the scene. If ever there was a foreign cricket match that brought out the indepth spirit of a side to restore the pride of the nation was the Australian team that figured against the West Indies in the 1961 Test series against West Indies in Australia. The first Test between these two teams ended in a thrilling 'tie' - the first of its kind in Test cricket at Brisbane, then Australia and the West Indies each had won a Test and came the all important Fourth Test at Adelaide. If the West Indies had won the Fourth Test they would have needed only a draw in Melbourne to clinch the series. For most Australians, say between eight and 80, that afternoon in February 1961 was one of unbearable tension. Cricket 'fever' had caught on the world ever and Sri Lanka (Ceylon as we were then known) was no exception. Millions of keen followers followed the progress of the Test on radio, while in many workplaces and shops work stopped as the employees were mor interested in the cricket and 'cricket fever' even caught up with Ceylon's Parliament - some 4,000 odd miles or even more away from the scene of action with the proceedings of the House being adjourned owing to the tremendous interest shown by the MPs to follow the proceedings on radio. Gutty displays If it was guts and courage that one was looking for - then this was it. Two batsmen who came to Australia's rescue on that day was Ken 'Slasher' Mackay and Lindsay Kline. Mackay was invariably cast as the villain. Critics and spectators everywhere jeered at his dour, stonewall batting or his negative, short-of-a-length bowling. Yet in one of his dullest, most dreary displays, "Slasher" Mackay unmistakably took over the hero's role. For just under two hours he stood at the Adelaide wicket in the Fourth Test against the West Indies, stoically with spin bowler Lindsay Kline defying the West Indies attack in one of the most dramatic last-wicket stands in Test cricket. For 109 minutes they kept out the thunderbolts of fast bowler Wes Hall, the swing and spin of Garfield Sobers and the subtle flight of off-spinner Lance Gibbs. To have succumbed would have given the West Indies a 2-1 lead in the series and may have ended Australia's four-year domination of International cricket. The finish of the Fourth Test provided one of cricket's classics. When LindsayKline - the last man joined Mackay, the score stood at 208 for 9 wickets and Kline had practically the whole of the West Indies team breathing down his neck. When Kline came in, Mackay was on 17 and there was one incident which marred Australia's gallant fight back. Mackay hit the ball and Garfield Sobers held the ball aloft and the nearby fielders started to walk off the field thinking the match was over. But Mackay stood firm and was certain it was a 'bump' ball. When the West Indians appealed for a catch umpire Cokin Egar turned it down. As Worrell - the West Indian captain and his team was concerned, the matter ended there, but many cricket writers were adamant that it was out. The clocked ticked away and at 5 p.m., Worrell called for the new ball and brought on Wes Hall to the attack and a section of the crowd that the end was at hand, the dour Australian last-wicket pair carried on regardless. Then at 5.27 p.m. Worrell relieved Hall and Sobers switched on to the spinners at the other end and the crowd suddenly realise that Australia's last-ditch pair might play out time and force a draw. Worrell - the West Indies captain still had hopes of winning and as the clock slowly but surely ticked away to 6 p.m. With three minutes to six, Worrell came on for what everyone thought would be the last over of the match. He had every fielder clustering around Kline, but to the relief of the Australians the fair-haired spinner met every ball with a dead bat. The crowd's cheers as the last ball was played safely soon turned to groans when the umpires decided there was time for one moreover. The clocks showed a minute to six and Worrell tossed the ball to Wes Hall for a last, desperate assault. Longest over The final over was one of the longest recorded in history as it took 11 minutes to complete and even the unflappable 'Slasher' said afterwards: "It was the worst time of my life". With fieldsmen crouched all around him waiting for a catch. Mackay stretched down the wicket and dropped each delivery straight at his feet. For the sixth ball, Hall bowled around the wicket hoping to get "Slasher" to nibble-but he wouldn't be tempted. With the eighth delivery Hall overstepped the mark and the umpire called "no-ball". Not hearing the call and thinking the game was over, hundreds of spectators swarmed over the fence to mob the players. It took three or four minutes to clear the ground and then Mackay had to go all through the last-ball-ordeal again. There was silence as Hall thundered in, followed by a gasp as the ball pitched short and rose towards Mackay's heart. Realising he might be caught if he put his bat to it, "Slasher" held his arms high and let the ball thud into his ribs! He carried the bruise for a week but as he said later: "It was well worth it". Once more the crowd rushed onto the ground and Mackay and Kline were swept off their feet and carried to the pavilion in triumph. There they received a thunderous ovation with the West Indians, disappointed as they were, generously joining in the salute to one of the greatest match-saving stands in history. In the Fifth and final Test at Melbourne, Australia beat the West Indies by two wickets to win the series. |
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