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There have been some extraordinary variations in the umpires' interpretations of the wide. The Pakistan-New Zealand encounter at Derby was the most ludicrous display yet. One umpire was seen to call wide when Allott missed the leg stump by two inches, yet allowed Wasim Akram to go unpunished for exactly the same line later. The normally undemonstrative Fleming actually protested when two deliveries in one over passed two feet outside his legs without being called. The same umpire permitted a seven ball over at that time which shows how rattled he had become. The match itself was extremely disappointing because at no stage was New Zealand competitive. On a cold blustery day Pakistan were inserted and then allowed to take 23 from the first two overs and 31 from four. The openers must have felt all their birthdays had come at once. Incredibly the Kiwis' most penetrative bowler, Cairns, was not used until 20 overs had elapsed and then bowled only four until the death. By then the dashing Inzamam had his dander up and made a clutch-hitting 73 from only 61 balls. Previously the only real penetration had come from two throwouts that confined the efficient Ijaz to 51 and Razzaq to 33. There was a curious lack of conviction about the Kiwi out cricket, as though the defeat by the West Indies had decided their fate. They seemed to be depending on the final match against Scotland to ensure a berth in the Super Six but now have to wait for the result of the West Indies encounter with Australia before knowing their ultimate target. There was an absence of innovation and almost a resignation that Pakistan would travel unchecked. The proper use of Cairns, more frequent bowling changes and some surprises may have made all the difference. They were noticeably absent. Then when the Kiwis batted the deficiencies of the top order were again cruelly exposed. Horne has played some sound test innings but is becoming a failure in one-day internationals. Astle, once so brave and daring, now has his feet so locked in one place that the inevitable result is a snick. McMillan is spearing away without ever looking secure and his naivete was obvious when he spooned Akram's slower ball. It is also obvious that little work or advice is being applied to the matter of footwork and improving backfoot play. I'm still waiting for the phone call. Fleming and Harris finally put together a face-saving partnership of 83 without ever looking likely to reach the target. They seemed content to aim for a run rate in the hope it will all work out against Scotland. Harris must surely have never before batted for 96 balls without managing a single boundary. The Pakistani performance was so superior they were able to relax in the field and by easing up allowed New Zealand the luxury of scraping to just over 200. They will not be concerned about who else makes the Super Six for they will start that round with a maximum four points bonus to have the best possible draw for the semifinal. The opening attack of Shoaib Akhtar and Wasim Akram was simply lethal. They stayed right on line with real pace and movement. Deliveries like these can only be met safely by superior batsmanship, involving the quick movement of the feet so the player is right in line, or letting the ball go past. New Zealand were inept in this area and cannot expect to survive much longer unless there is a radical change. Thus far New Zealand's best bowler is Allott and best allrounder Cairns. Surely this was the match to start them both with the new ball. When Nash opened with the new ball I became convinced that the New Zealand management had left the left side of their brain in the team bus. The sixth ranked bowler in the world, Doull, must replace Nash. New Zealand must use her best attacking resources. Another change should be by replacing Horne with Twose and introducing Vettori into the attack. He has a determined bat and an ability to bowl leftarm flat to provide variety. A bowling lineup with Cairns, Doull, Allott, Hart, Harris and Larsen appeals more right now. They would be backed by Astle and Twose to allow frequent bowling changes and the element of surprise. The only weakness demonstrated by Pakistan in this tournament has been Inzamam's woeful running between wickets. The method used to muzzle him was evident at Derby. He wore his chinstrap across his mouth so he couldn't call! This provided one of the lighter moments in a matchup that never blossomed. It also saved some of his later partners from being run out. Wasim Akram is showing all the confidence and elan of a winner. He was able to take some time off during the New Zealand innings to have a chat with some officials, eat some chocolate, untwinge the hammy and generally attend to public relations before returning to take control again. It was impressive autocracy and it will be intriguing to see whether the South Africans can handle this when the two sides meet, probably on June 5th at Trent. Send Dave your thoughts on our chances in the World Cup. | ||||||
