Battle of the Chokers – Sri Lanka and South Africa will begin soon
 The
‘Battle of the CHOKERS’ will begin next Saturday when the South Africans
who flew in this morning, meet Sri Lanka in 5 one-day and 3 Twenty20
Internationals, all under lights.
Both South Africa and Sri Lanka fared well to enter the ‘semis’ of
the International Cricket Council’s 50 over tournament which was
conducted for the final time in England recently.
But when both teams were expected to win the semis and play in the
final, they choked with South Africa losing to England and Sri Lanka
being strangled by India and tumbled out.
So a cricketing battle will be on with both teams determined to win
the series, although there is no final. But if both teams win two each
and the final game will decide the series, then it will be a final of
sorts and it will be interesting to see who will continue to sport the
chokers label.
When South Africa chickened out
A few years back when a bomb went off, quite far away from the hotel
that the South African cricketers were staying, Mark Boucher’s squad
‘chickened’ out and took the next flight back home.
The Cricket Board of that time promised them Presidential style
security and wanted them to continue with the tour. But the South
Africans insisted that they go back home and so ended a tour that
promised good and exciting cricket.
But Abraham de Villiers and Faa Du Plessis’ South African teams will
have no problems and nothing to fear. They will be provided with
security that is provided to all visiting teams and they can concentrate
on the game.
Pity that the South Africans would not be playing any Test matches.
Test cricket is what the game is all about. But sadly countries are
beginning to lose their priorities and are concentrating more on the
cowboy games, because it brings in the mega dollars. Test cricket must
be weeping at the step motherly treatment given to it.
It is said that Sri Lanka Cricket did not want a Test series. The
cowboy games pours in the dollars and with SLC cash strapped, the
‘cowboy games’ would attract spectators and sponsors and so the soft
corner for the instant noodles game.
Windies unlucky to be out
West Indies under new Captain Dwayne Bravo would have found it
galling not to be allowed to contest the final in the Tri-nations
tournament for the Celkom Trophy conducted in their country. They
cruised to victory in the first two games against Sri Lanka and India
and then suddenly and sadly they lost their way.
Such are the vagaries of the game and it would have disappointed not
only them, but their Calypso singing and dancing supporters who would
have been baying for cricket luvr’ly cricket and a Windies triumph.
No human can control the rain gods. The rains poured down in buckets
during some of the games which necessitated the padding up of
Duckworth/Lewis. The Duckworth/Lewis system could be cruel to some
teams.
Not so long ago an Indian mathematician had come up with a system
which was recommended by former Indian batting champion Suni Gavaskar.
But the ICC Cricket Committee instead of giving it a try or a
trial,said they did not find anything wrong with the Duckworth/Lewis
system and stuck to it.
Game lost as a contest
When a 50-over or a Twenty20 game is reduced due to rain which at
times warrant that Duckworth/Lewis bat, it takes away the game as a
contest and it loses its very purpose.
The ICC Champions Trophy which was a 50 over tournament was made to
look ridiculous when due to rain it was made a Twenty20 final. A 50 over
game is a 50 over game and a Twenty20 is a Twenty20 game. When overs are
reduced it becomes a joke.
The ICC must have an extra day in their tournaments and insist on
countries that an extra day be reserved in case of rain. True it could
be tedious, but it cannot be helped. Sponsors and spectators feel let
down when games are washed out or reduced.
Take the preliminary round game between Sri Lanka and India in the
tri-nation tournament in the West Indies. India batted first and made
119 for 3 in 29 overs when rain called a halt to the game.
When Duckworth and Lewis were called to bat, they put an end to the
Indian innings and asked Sri Lanka to chase 178 off 26 overs under a
revised Duckworth/Lewis system for victory. Sri Lanka just crumpled for
96.
Andy Murray the great
Tennis ace Andy Murray created a sensation in British sporting
circles when he won the Wimbledon Singles finals beating Novok Djokovic
in straight sets at the Centre Court, on Sunday.
Before the Wimbledon Tennis Championships were served the British
Press focussed Murray in headline news in their sports pages and was
tipping Murray to break the ice and win a singles title for the country
after 77 long years. The last British tennis player to win a singles
title was Fred Perry. Perry was the last brilliant tennis ace to
dominate and defeat all opposition on the grass courts at Wimbledon.
So it was a long, long wait. Every year that Wimbledon was played,
hopes ran high that a Britisher would oblige and emulate Perry’s
achievement. But the wait ended after 77 years.
Until recently Fred Perry was a household name. Not only because of
his stupendous achievement, but because of a Tee Shirt named in his
honour. The TEE Shirt with a Fred Perry emblem was a craze.
Popular Fred Perry Tee shirts
All sportsmen and women were proud to sport those Tee Shirts. On a
personal note when two of my dear friends Cosmas Perera and Percy Perera
two outstanding basketball players toured India, I remember them
bringing me two of Fred Perry shirts that I proudly sported to the envy
of many.
The early packing off of Roger Federer and Rafal Nadal made the road
all the more clear for Murray to progress. He continued to brush aside
all opponents and hopes ran high that he would finally deliver for game
and country.
And when he entered the final, all Britain were delighted. The
question on everyone’s lips was: Will we see history being rewritten and
would Murray join the exalted company of Fred Perry?
And he did join the exalted company of Fred Perry when he brushed
aside Novok Djokovic in straight sets. Did not the fans at the centre
court and all England jubilate.
Newspapers rave over triumph
All newspapers raved over this triumph. Not only the sports pages,
even the front pages ran big pictures and catchy headlines hailing the
victor and the victory and singing his praise which he richly deserved.
Prime Minister David Cameron who watched the straight sets victory
from the Royal Box is pushing to have Murray knighted. Cameron has said
that Murray with this rare victory has ‘lifted the spirits of the whole
country’.
Murray had been repeatedly asked about the possibility of being
knighted. ‘I don’t know if winning Wimbledon deserves a knighthood but
said: ‘it would be a nice thing to have’.
After the memorable and historic victory Murray dedicated it to his
coach the former Czech Champion Ivan Lendl who had pocketed eight Grand
Slams but not won the title at Wimbledon.
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