Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 371 Mon. June 13, 2005  
   
Letters to Editor


Cricketers fail


This poor nation has witnessed how their million dollar cricket crumbled at Lord's. The lousy and shameful batting display suggests that it is not new or unpredictable. Win against the second string Zimbabwe was only predictable. But the first two ODI defeats against Zimbabwe and the resistance from the young Zimbabwe captain virtually pointed our position--where we should be. The ODI win against India, in my view, was just a good accident. It's not new in cricket. The great West Indies failed to reach 183 against India in 1983 World Cup final. Still Clive Lloyd can't believe that they came second.

As a nation bewildered by emotion, we started believing that bad days are gone, it's time to kill the Bill. The media also helps the nation believing this ghost story- the sun is about to rise. The media makes Enamul Jr. comparable to Shane Warne. We forget that Enamul is just a 'guess' while Warne is a proven quality and he himself is a class. He

proved this on many occasions. Just remember the semi final against South Africa in 1999 World Cup, when he ripped through the specialist batsmen. Ashraful made history, then what he has done so far? One century after three years! The new media sensation is teenage wicket keeper Rahim. And in return what we have got from Rahim? We have witnessed the current form of Rajin Saleh- but look back at the media coverage: Rajin was supposed to be 'Miandad' of this era. Can I ask the media not to exaggerate but to be conscientious? Please don't be complacent, there is always room for improvement. 'One down eight to go'- could be a good commercial for marketing. Our current cricket status loudly sounds that reality is different from marketing dreams. This time the preyer has been preyed.

Our cricketers always make fall guys: dry and bouncy pitch, hidden early morning moisture, eye dazzling green grass, extra bounce due to bowlers height, marvellous use of shoulder, late swing, insomnia, too many crowd and so on. After the failure at Lord's, some of them have a unique story: their adrenaline was running so high. Why? They could not believe that they were playing at Lord's- the Mecca of cricket! What a pay off to the nation! God Bless them. Thank God they did not blame the Cricket

Board for not arranging tour at Lord's for sun bath , so that they could feel it was also grass and soil, not unplayable velvet! English condition? Is it a new invention? Let's talk less about that. Don't blame the foreign media. Are they wrong?

Picture
. PHOTO: AFP