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Previous Stories Why Cricketers Are More Sporting Than Golfers A cracking tournament in Dhaka New Zealand cricket is on track Taranaki Ignore the Distractions An Extraordinary Sporting Family Another New Cricketing Experience Dave Eats His Crow - A First Time For Everything Black Caps Are Not Strictly For The Birds Not Beefing, Just Disappointed There Are None So Blind That Will Not See A Matter of A Satisfactory Start Horse Laughs and Crocodile Tears A Slow Over Rate Means A Slow Team
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If you want drama on the sportsfield try Georgetown Guyana! It's not the first time there has been real trouble there, in the only South American country belonging to the West Indies Cricket group. Tour matches have been cancelled before, primarily over the apartheid factor, and in 1993 the same match referee, Raman Subba Row, had to declare a tie between Pakistan and the West Indies in almost identical circumstances. The crowd control, security and police support at Georgetown is so inadequate that there is a strong feeling they will not host another tour match for some time. Even then it is unlikely until authorities are totally satisfied that these aspects are properly arranged. There was a crowd invasion before the last over commenced, the mob coming over from the main stand where the police were asleep. The stumps were stolen then recovered under the direction of the match referee and the last over started with no precautions taken against a repeat performance form the crowd. What an incredible last over! Waugh was on strike and could manage only a two, and a risky brace at that, from the first five balls of Arthurton, normally very much a change bowler. The last delivery was smashed away to midwicket but was never going to reach the fence so the Aussies set out to run four. It took an hour and a half's deliberation for the authorities to decide that Warne was not run out on the third run and that Australia had completed three runs to achieve a decreed tie. Why wasn't he run out? The spectators had stolen all the stumps! What a shambles . . . One of the major problems is the safety of the players. Steve Waugh, who had played an heroic innings, narrowly escaped serious injury in the desperate jostling of the drunken and demented crowd invaders. He had been sadly out of form until now, and responded at just the right time with that perennial saver of causes, Shane Warne, after Australia were in all kinds of trouble with seven wickets down and still needing 54. The match was rain-affected and thus reduced to 30 overs. That wouldn't have helped the crowd mood either, for there would have been a long wait before action and plenty of time to get stuck into the local jungle juice. It is not as pure as in Jamaica either. So the two teams go to Barbados for the final two matches of the tour over the weekend. At least Barbados is more civilised, reflecting the English influence and its reputation as a tourist mecca and a cricket haven. With the series level on 2-2 it is gripping stuff. I'll be tuning in live on the net, you can be sure! New Zealand's World Cup Build The Chris Harris benefit at Jade Stadium on Sunday, involving the best players in the country, will kick off a three match warm-up also providing for two matches at the superb Lincoln Green facility. The squad is staying at the High Performance centre at Lincoln and will add seven players to make up the necessary numbers for fully contested games under World Cup rules. Then they take off for England on 2 May and play Hampshire, Surrey & Sussex in successive one day preparatory matches before meeting Bangladesh at Chelmsford on 17 May to start the campaign. The Sussex match is at Arundel Castle, where mine host these days is the Lord Cowdrey, formerly of Kent and England who has remarried rather well. It is a picturesque ground indeed, redolent of the best English countryside and set in the parks of the handsome castle. That complex is like a town in its own right, with shops, village centre and farmlets all clustered around the Lord's domain. The venue is immensely popular, rather like Cornwall Park here, and a crowd of several thousands may be expected. They ring around the park where there is a slight bank on one side and a tiny grandstand that is reserved for the special guests. No one seems to mind too much where anyone goes although I had some problems gaining entrance to the bar on my visit there. It was a very hot day but the lady on the door was oblivious to my blandishments and my genealogy. I gave up eventually because I could see a back door that was ajar. Her surprise was obvious when she had to stand aside to allow me to leave the building with a tray full of pints. After that, she gave up. Send Dave your thoughts on our chances in the World Cup. | ||||||
