“Cricket in Crisis” screamed the headline in Sydney’s The Sun-Herald yesterday; practically “dying” among the 14-18 year age-group and females, according to the blood-curdling expose.
Going by interest shown by cricket-lovers at the Australian Cricket Society’s function in Sydney last Thursday, the reports on cricket’s death are highly exaggerated.
What strikes me as incredible and odious is that Cricket Australia is considering promoting Twenty20 bash rather than Sheffield Shield by having IPL-like franchises from overseas. It is equivalent to killing the grass roots and importing cut flowers.
It’s like banks printing money to avoid recession. It’s like parents offering lollies to their children to do their homework.
Four Australian legends – elegant left-handed strokeplayer Neil Harvey, all-rounders Alan Davidson and Bob Simpson and opening batsman Colin McDonald – remembered last week the 1960 Brisbane tied Test. It was a glittering get-together to mark the Golden Jubilee of Test cricket’s first tied Test.
Also joining the Panel were fast-medium bowlers Frank Misson and Des Hoare, who had played in subsequent Tests in this electrifying series. It was a night of nostalgia lasting almost two hours.
And not a single yawn, let alone tears, to suggest the demise of cricket!
Harvey summed up the feelings of those present by saying among thundering applause, “Hope one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket do not affect Test cricket.”
What struck me was the photographic memory of the cricketing greats, two of them (Harvey and Davidson) being in their eighties. They recalled each ball of the tied Test as if it was five days ago and not 50 years ago. Experienced interviewer and founder of the Cricket Society, Ronald Cardwell, brought the best out of them with probing questions.
In that 1960 Brisbane epic Davidson became the first batsman to achieve the double of 100 runs (44 and 80) and 10 wickets (11-222).
He recalled, “Just before the Test I had broken the top joint of my bowling finger and had to pass the medical. I had bowled with a broken finger throughout the match and still took 11 wickets. After the Test Sir Donald [Bradman] remarked tongue-in-cheek, ‘Can you break your finger before every Test, Alan?’”
This was more than just an exciting Test, the players agreed.
“After the series we just sat dazed at first and then chatted, the camaraderie between the rivals was amazing”, mused Davidson. “I am still in touch with some of the West Indies cricketers who played in that Test series.”
Simpson opined that West Indies spinner Sonny Ramadhin bowled doosras decades before the term was invented.
Comparing modern cricket and matches in his time, McDonald quipped, “We did not carry on like current players. We were just as keen but didn’t celebrate like now.”
All were of the opinion that Frank Worrell and Richie Benaud were terrific leaders, Garry Sobers was a sublime batsman and a four-in-one bowler and Wes Hall the best fast bowler they faced.
“I found England’s Frank Tyson a touch faster but Hall was the best fast bowler I faced”, commented McDonald.
I asked Harvey after the function, “How come in your time 100 eight-ball overs were bowled in a day? Now we need extra time to finish 90 six-ball overs per day?”
“Captains take too long to set fields these days”, he replied. “Also bowlers have exaggerated run-ups. In the 1948 Leeds Test against England as many as 128 six-ball overs were bowled on one day. Both captains did their bit to speed up the game. It takes two to tango.”
Davidson recalled, “In the 1959 Kanpur Test against India, I bowled 53.5 overs in one day.”
The most important person missing at the function was Richie Benaud as he had another commitment that night. He had captained that 1960-61 series against the Windies with a cool head and matched Worrell ball by ball in reviving Test cricket.
We need the likes of Benaud, the late Frank Worrell, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Sachin Tendulkar … to resurrect Test cricket today. And not a surfeit of Twenty20 bashes to fill up the coffers of Cricket Associations around the world.
The Aussie's dismissal summed up Lucknow's night, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders by 98 runs.
As wife Alyssa Healy watches on, Mitchell Starc was back in form, taking three wickets in an over including the dangerous Tim David, to…
Joe Root was showing some brotherly love, giving his younger sibling Billy a chance in their county match.
Australia have reclaimed top spot in the ICC's Test rankings, replacing India. Despite not playing since winning 2-0 in New Zealand in March, Pat…
Yashasvi Jaiswal was looking comfortable at 67 off 40, until this moment when he hit the ball into his own stumps!
The Aussie made his 50 off 37 balls, for his fourth half-century of the season as his Sunrisers Hyderabad went on to beat Rajasthan…
