V Roger Prabasarkar : Cricket
South Africa’s series victory, sealed with an even more unlikely Test win in Faisalabad than was achieved against Australia in Sydney in 1994, made every tiny dispute, niggle, misunderstanding and irritation that had crept into the camp disappear in a spontaneous eruption of joy, relief and pride.
When Allan Donald held the catch on the midwicket boundary to dismiss the final batsman, Moin Khan, and end the Pakistan innings at 92, South Africa had won by 53 runs against odds too long to tempt even the most fervent patriot. What a pity one can’t mention odds in this part of the world without raising eyebrows.
Actually, as difficult as it might be to imagine a professional cricketer “throwing” something as important as a Test match, let alone a Test series, it must surely be more difficult to imagine a player shedding a tear in the name of authenticity. And a couple of players did, indeed, shed a tear.
Hansie Cronje’s team had merely shown them where the executioner’s platform was, not condemned them to die. Led by Saeed Anwar’s confidence crisis, however, they filed one by one on to the platform, placed their own heads in the noose and pulled the trapdoor lever. And that really, really hurt.
Don’t even think, for a second, that South Africa were anything but absolutely magnificent. No team in the world will now chase more than 100 against them in the fourth innings of a Test with any confidence. Fairy tales, though, just cannot be completed in sport without the wicked witch spilling some of her potion into the plot. Not even in South African cricket which, incidentally, has almost convinced the rest of the cricket-playing world of an image so clean that people will actually start listening for the squeaks.
Brian McMillan’s sudden departure from the tour inevitably created a gaggle of confused rumours and some “knowing”, solemn looks. The South African team management acted with the authority of a field-mouse in dealing with the situation as the majority of the touring press were left to discover at breakfast on Wednesday morning that the big all-rounder had departed at 1:30am that morning.
No reason was given for his departure other than that “something had come up”. When questioned further by some South African press, team manager SK Reddy mumbled, a little unclearly, “We don’t put out statements for this kind of thing. Brian didn’t want us to say exactly what the problem is.”
Mrs McMillan said from her Cape Town home on Wednesday morning that there was some illness in the family but she would not say who, or how serious the illness was. A reliable source in South Africa also confirmed that a family member may have been to hospital. Illness in any family is cause for grief and sympathy but McMillan is well known for his extreme fondness for and loyalty to his family and it is not surprising that he should take the first available flight out of Pakistan.
It is also extremely unfortunate that his departure should coincide with increasing tales and rumours of unhappiness surrounding his continued participation on the tour – unhappiness from his team mates, his captain, possibly the coach and even his own poor spirits. In such a light it was imperative that a clear, honest statement was made in order to clear up the misgivings of the those whose job it is to relay news of the tour to readers, listeners and viewers in South Africa.
It must be said that local followers of the tour noted from the early days that McMillan was a little less than fully content. It was explained, by those who have observed him over a longer period of time, that his demeanour could easily be misunderstood as “lackadaisical”, but that, in fact, this was just “his way”‘.
He came to Pakistan with a near- embarrassing performance record on the subcontinent and, after some initial failures, quickly came to resemble a man who expected the worst.
As his spirits dropped his suspicions grew and so did those of his team mates. Apparently, he made little effort to disguise his willingness to allow other bowlers to take the ball before him, most notably, one understands, when Brett Schultz was injured during the first Test. And he made even less attempt to disguise the contempt with which he regarded the travelling media after they questioned his right to automatic selection.
Then, as can happen to many quality players – as McMillan undoubtedly is – he believed that he alone could solve his batting problems and no one else: not even those who are paid to assist. Seeing as no one in authority has yet made an attempt to clarify the situation before McMillan’s unfortunate, all-too-hasty leaving, it is incumbent upon those covering the tour to speculate; it is their job.
The final straw, it seems, concerned the impossibly sensitive subject of money. Many months ago, a long time before this tour had even left South Africa, it appears that the United Cricket Board decided upon a policy of “separate squads” for the Test series and for the quadrangular one-day tournament, which starts for South Africa on Sunday when they play Pakistan under floodlights in the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Not completely different squads, but a change of personnel involving at least four players. Those earmarked for an early departure were Donald, Schultz, Paul Adams and McMillan. Young batsman Herschelle Gibbs and all-rounder Derek Crookes were, apparently, even told that they would be required to join the squad during the first week of November.
It is impossible to understand exactly what the financial implications would have been for those asked to “stand aside”, but sources within the squad suggested that McMillan was less than happy at losing the earning potential of the one-day tournament when he was, in effect, being rested rather than specifically dropped.
To compound the unfortunate rumours before his departure, it began to look obvious that he would struggle to make the starting line-up in South Africa’s first choice one- day XI. It looked as though McMillan had asked to stay, subsequently learned that he would not be picked anyway, then decided to go home as originally planned.
It was an obvious conclusion to reach, however sadly it may detract from the terrible news of illness. But given that it was such an obvious conclusion, it should have been recognised by the management and stamped out completely. But given the embarrassments surrounding the Australian Cricket Board and their players’ salary dispute, anything to do with money is being furiously denied, swept away and/or covered up by the boards of the remaining eight Test-playing nations. There is nothing like brown grass on the other side of the fence to make your own look greener.
Meanwhile, Fanie de Villiers joined the squad for his first practice in Lahore on Wednesday afternoon. He was as ebullient, lively and friendly as anyone could remember from his previous trips to Pakistan. His presence is so much more than back-up; in fact, it seems certain that South Africa’s chances of success in the tournament will hinge on him more than any other player.
Shaun Pollock simply has to have an outstanding tournament with the ball for the team to have any chance of restricting the Sri Lankans, the West Indians and the new-look Pakistani side with pinch-hitter supreme, Shahid Afridi. Lance Klusener is certain to play a role with bat and ball: as a pinch-hitting number three he could cause a few shocks of his own, but his bowling cannot be regarded as anything other than a calculated risk.
No one, not even Pat Symcox, can offer the team the single ingredient that wins more one-day matches than any other – extreme bowling economy. Brian Lara, Carl Hooper, Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, Ijaz Ahmed, Afridi, Cronje, Rhodes and Gary Kirsten. The tournament is full of wonderful batsmen who can all score heavily and quickly.
A bowler who concedes an average of three runs per over over the course of four matches will probably be on the winning team. There are probably only three men capable of doing so in the four teams. Saqlain Mushtaq of Pakistan, Curtley Ambrose of the West Indies and De Villiers. He will be very important.
The best news for South Africa is that he is relishing the challenge.