The ICC Pakistan Task Team’s (PTT) report containing 63 recommendations for the furtherance of Pakistan cricket and its structure has received a “withering response” from the PCB, according to press releases in the Pakistani media.
It is unclear why the PCB took such a defensive view of the report, but their response to what was essentially a well meaning effort from the ICC leaves a bad taste in the mouth. It would have been much better for the PCB to simply shove the matter under the carpet, so to speak, rather than make a big issue about it. But now that they have reacted in such a hasty and reactionary manner, this threatens to escalate into a major issue.
According to Haroon Lorgat, the ICC CEO, this exercise was conducted with the best of intentions and with the full cooperation of the PCB. In fact, PCB’s Subhan Ahmed was provided with a copy of the report, a week before the ICC meeting and he made only a few minor comments which were added to the report, says Lorgat. Therefore, this extreme reaction from the PCB, on what are simply a set of recommendations can only mean that the PCB top brass is perceiving this as an invasion of their almost absolute powers.
The PCB’s reaction is so defensive that it gives the impression that they thought the ICC had some ulterior motive in preparing this report. What seems to have struck a raw nerve is the ICC’s recommendation on the issue of the powers of the chairman and expressed particular concern at the manner in which he is appointed – by the country’s president, the patron of the board. This is a subject that has been criticised on numerous occasions by former Pakistan captains. Evidently the din of democracy is distasteful to the ears of the powers that control our cricket. Lorgat stated that Mike Brearley and Greg Chappell had played an active role in the research for the report, with Brearley travelling to Dubai to meet with Pakistani officials and management. Chappell had also been active in trying to facilitate an international team’s tour to Pakistan.
To try to ridicule these two highly respected players by saying that they had never visited Pakistan and had done nothing for Pakistan, is in extremely bad taste. To lay such emphasis on “visiting Pakistan” is immature at best. Information on Pakistan’s chaotic cricketing structure is freely available on the information highway that is the internet as well as from senior cricketers.
By inferring that these well meaning suggestions could have an ulterior motive is laughable. What the ICC, and indeed, Brearley and Chappell would have to gain by playing politics with Pakistan’s cricket is something that could be known only to the PCB hierarchy.
It is quite apparent that some overzealous PCB official has gotten carried away with this reaction and ended up putting egg on his organisation’s face. The PCB would be well advised to thank the ICC for this assistance and file the report away for some future, less immature setup.
Much-awaited rubber
Test cricket will celebrate its 2000th Test match when India visit England for a four-Test series. Lord’s has reportedly been sold out for this much awaited contest that could decide the number one position in the sport. England would have to win by a decisive margin of at least two Tests to take the number one ranking away from Dhoni’s men. India has, ever since Gary Kirsten took over coaching responsibilities, developed a self-belief that they had never had before. This was evident from the way they rebounded in the World Cup final after having lost two early wickets. India have, arguably, the best batting order in the game, with Gambhir, Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman as the core with a tail that includes Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh. Sehwag, perhaps their most decisive batsman, will be available later in the series and his cricketing future looks in doubt following a shoulder operation. Laxman has been their man for the crisis – the man who shores up the middle order along with Dhoni.
A lot could depend on how Tendulkar and company negotiate the tall England pacers who can bang the ball in slightly short of a length and gain disconcerting height. Tremlet at 6 feet 8 could be a handful on a bouncy track. The off-spinner Swann is one of the very best and a game changer in his own right.
England, with Cook, Trott, Strauss, Bell and a struggling Pietersen have a very solid core supported by a tail that has Prior, Broad and Swann. Trott is currently the in- form batsman in the game and has an ideal temperament for the Test game. Should Pietersen regain his form and consistency, he could also be a game changer.
India’s bowling would be relying on the wiles of Zaheer and Harbhajan, but they do not have the depth in bowling that England have and should one of these two get injured, they could be a bowler short.
Test cricket enthusiasts, and yes there are many still, are licking their lips for what could be a doozy Test series played on the verdant English grounds. Yes, the reports of the death of Test cricket at the hands of T20 are greatly exaggerated!
Daryl blames it on Dhoni
Test Umpire Darryl Harper has announced a premature retirement from umpiring. This follows some run-ins he had with Indian captain Dhoni and a perceived lack of support from the ICC for the beleaguered umpire.
According to Cricinfo, Harper claimed that after Praveen Kumar was removed from the attack for repeatedly running on the pitch in Kingston, Dhoni approached him after that and said, “We’ve had problems with you before, Daryl”, which the umpire interpreted as an attempt to intimidate.
Dhoni’s more publicised remarks came after the Kingston Test, following a series of umpiring errors. “If the correct decisions were made the game would have finished much earlier and I would have been in the hotel by now,” he said at the post-match press conference. His criticism was described as “unfair” by the ICC general manager of cricket David Richardson, but neither he nor the presiding match referee Jeff Crowe elected to charge the Indian captain.
Harper claimed that “only one decision in the match would have been reversed had it been a DRS situation. And I read yesterday that I made nine mistakes in the game, so yes I thought it was time someone spoke up because unfortunately the ICC choose not to.
I think there are other factors afoot that are infringing on the game and I think the game’s too valuable to allow that to happen. I’m not a politician, I’m not an administrator, I’m just an umpire, and it seems to me the treatment I was receiving from the Sabina Park Test was telling me that perhaps I shouldn’t treat everyone the same way, which is a system that’s worked pretty well for a long time.” The cricketing center of gravity has moved to India over the years. That should not mean that the Indian team can go around bullying umpires, making statements in the press and getting away with it. The ICC should stand up and be counted.
