Once, Even Donald Ducked

YOU guys really let us off the hook," said Da ryll Cullinan after the Standard Bank triangular final at Kings-mead, Durban, on February 13. Going after 251 in 40 overs, the Indians started off in such emphatic style, as if to blast away the image of losers, that even the South African journalists in the press box were sitting at the edge of their seats. So was the estimated 12,000 crowd, the lucky half that came back the day after the washed-out final of February 12.

Local Indians went through a heady rollercoaster ride that petered out in the end. Says Kiruban D. Naidoo, a former South African cricketer of Indian origin who has played with Madan Lal in the Lancashire league: "I don’t know how this team convinced people back home that they can play cricket. They haven’t convinced the South African Indians that they can do that on the entire tour, except of course in the last two matches."

There was, of course, the whole drama of the catch Jonty Rhodes took to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar in the rainedout finals. Television replays confirmed Rhodes had grounded the ball not once but twice in his effort, but the star fielder himself reasoned to umpire Cyril Mitchely that it was a clean catch. Says Mitchely: "I could swear by my life that Rhodes didn’t ground the ball. He is a decent guy." But a senior STAR TV commentator counters: "Mitchely better have his insurance taken if he’s swearing by his life on that."

After the finals, the double standards of  ICC referee Bar ry Jarman came out clearer. On February 14, he had Indian manager Sunil Dev called in on "charges of bringing the game into disrepute by talking to the press on the catch." The matter was resolved ‘amicably’ after Dev threatened to sue the ICC and questioned Mitchely’s conduct in talking to the press about the catch.

What was also surprising was Jarman not fining bowler Allan Donald for his churlish field behaviour with Rahul Dravid in the finals. Rattled, after Dravid hit him for six over long on, Donald came up to Dravid a couple of times muttering: "I will kill you. Don’t f*** with me...." Dravid’s reaction was: "Take me on Donald. Let’s see what you got." Off the field, curiously, Dravid and Donald happen to enjoy a very special relationship. In fact, Donald used to keep needling Dravid every now and then.

More controversy came when wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia was dropped for the match, reportedly for not sacrificing his wicket for Azhar in the interest of the team in the washed-out finals. Says Mongia: "I heard Azhar’s call too late. And for a second out there, I just froze and couldn’t step out of the crease to let Azhar carry on. I was late in my reaction." Several cricketers commented that if Mongia could be dropped for a self-oriented attitude, Saurav Ganguly too deserved the same treatment.

The feeling of bad vibes heightened during the washed-out finals after Jadeja was bowled by Donald for 10. The minute he entered the dressing room, coach Madan Lal rebuked him in front of everybody. Prannoy Roy of NDTV, who was there, found it strange. Says he: "Jadeja knows he has played a bad shot. He is feeling bad. To pull him up right when he’s coming in is hardly good managership." Next day’s pyrotechnics, of course, got Madan Lal happy. Says he: "I am satisfied as long as they give more than 100 per cent."

Dravid’s splendid 84 finally marked him out as the next star of Indian cricket, blooming just a shade later than Ganguly. His knock was even more commendable due to the circumstances he got them in— his father was due for a triple bypass at Apollo hospital, Chennai, on February 18 and young Dravid flew back home the next day, skipping the two matches at Zimbabwe. But even after the man of the match award, Dravid wasn’t satisfied: "We have to learn how to win, how to shut out the game for the opposition when we are on top."

Says Sunil Gavaskar: "The game turned when Jadeja got out. There was no need for that shot at that stage. We needed 50-odd runs in 60 balls, not the other way round. Jadeja’s dismissal was what let them break their foot in at the door. Also, Robin Singh isn’t as fast between wickets as he thinks he is. I’m not criticising him, for he has won matches for India in the past."

Having seen Jadeja play the lofted offside slash at Port Elizabeth and Benoni, Hansie Cronje specifically placed Hudson on the fence. Rues Gavaskar: "Jadeja could easily have been 40 not out at the end and won the game for us. That would have been special." For Klusener, Jadeja and Dravid were prize scalps. Says he: "I was apprehensive of bowling to Azhar. He is such an unorthodox hitter. He always hits you in a funny place where you can’t set the field for him. Luckily, Shaun got him."

The feeling of despair when Tendulkar got out was palpable. Says Naidoo: "Most of the time it’s been a Sachin show. The little boy gets out and the Indians don’t know what to do." Adds Cullinan, who at point pulled his hands away in reflex to a full-blooded Tendulkar drive: "That would have got me a fracture had I attempted to stop it. When Sachin gets going, there’s no sight more beautiful in cricket."

More accolades came from former South Africa great Jimmy Cook: "Sachin is such a great player. He is the finest I have seen and I have seen quite a few." Adds Peter Pollock, chairman of selectors: "I’ve always maintained the Indians were a far more promising side than results on this tour showed. Mark my words, another year and this side is going to be very strong."

Some familiar gaps remain, though. I ndia ’s bowling, the South African batting machines showed as they clinically piled up 270-odd runs, is not yet out of the bad times. Says David Houghton, Zimbabwean coach: "The Indians better watch how much they bowl Srinath and Prasad, or they are going to be a spent force in the West Indies."

What really got Srinath perspiring, of course, was a non-cricketing test of initiative. He was standing at the boundary during the third Test match when a woman took off her bra and asked him to autograph it. He refused. The crowd went after him in favour of the woman. Even Sachin didn’t change his fielding position. Ultimately, Srinath turned for a brief second and put a dot on it with a pen.

Back to sport, Bob Woolmer feels the final result was an anti-climax. "Sachin and Dravid had really shut us out." Cook agrees: "I’d have liked to see whether India could have made it in 50 overs." But in the end, says Kepler Wessels, "justice was done. It would have been too much against the run of the matches to have South Africa lose." Adding, as an afterthought: "I think they should have three-game finals to decide the champions in future."