Tendulkar, McGrath prove their superiority

By Vijay Lokapally

SYDNEY, DEC. 31. It was the year of the World Cup and the year of the revival of Test cricket. Attendance for Test matches grew manifold the world over, some new talent emerged on the horizon and some thrilling contests in both the versions of the game made it a memorable year both for the connoisseur and the layman. It was a pleasant coincidence that in an era dominated by the limited overs monster, six nations - India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies and England - were involved with Test cricket at the same time as 1999 passed into history books.

The World Cup was made unforgettable by the great Australian resilience while winning the title for the second time. The famous Aussie grit came to the fore at Edgbaston in that incredible `tied' match against South Africa. That one match signified all that is exciting about limited overs cricket and there were quite a few Test matches, too, which kept the fans on the edges of their seats.

The pick of the Test was at Bridgetown when the West Indies overcame Australia by one wicket in a grand finish. It was Test cricket at its best. Brian Lara played one of the finest innings one could imagine as he single-handedly fashioned West Indies' triumph against the heaviest odds.

Kumble's feat

There were some other keen finishes, but one would pick just one more game which nearly matched the best of the year. The `Anil Kumble Test' at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi in which he grabbed all the 10 wickets in Pakistan's second innings to become only the second bowler in the history of the game to achieve the feat.

The reactions to Kumble's distinction were wild and the country basked in the glory of his amazing show. It was in fitness of things that the nicest bloke in Indian cricket became the cynosure with the rare act.

It may not rank alongside the feats of Sunil Gavaskar's 10000th- run or Kapil Dev's 400th wicket, but it was, in its own right, a commanding performance by Kumble. Only one man, Jim Laker, had done it before him. What Kumble did was as much a matter of pride for any Indian as the deeds of Gavaskar and Kapil.

Kumble, in the year he did what his mother would jokingly ask him of, did well to finish among the top five. But the bowler most feared was Glenn McGrath, who made giant strides as one who could make the most important dents in the opposition. Not the number of wickets he took, but the stage at which he struck counted and put him in a different class altogether. McGrath, one thought, was easily the pick of the lot this year.

Among the batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar expectedly dominated by scoring 1000 runs in one calendar year, but he had company in Michael Slater and Steve Waugh, two gritty performers known to score runs in difficult times. Slater returned to big time cricket with remarkable consistency while Steve Waugh emerged a strong leader who set examples. Of course, Tendulkar, battling his back pain, continued to give new dimension to the art of batting, setting new standards, beyond reach of any of his contemporary cricketers.

Cricket continued its progress, scaling greater heights as the game attracted huge sponsorship and audience. The aspect of professionalism was truly recognised as cricket held its place amidst competition with other disciplines in countries like South Africa and Australia, where it continued to be the major summer sport. The lack of talent in the West Indies was a major concern for the game even as promising debutants from Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka provided encouraging signs.

There were a few sad moments too. The death of Malcolm Marshall and Conrad Hunte, two stalwarts of the West Indian cricket. They departed in succession and cricket was robbed of two most sporting gentlemen to have graced the game.

National shame

The biggest shame was an empty Eden Gardens witnessing an Indian debacle, a few days after a magnificent Chennai crowd had stood applauding the conquerors of their team at the Chepauk. What happened at Calcutta was a national shame as unruly fans stopped play during the India-Pakistan Test before they were evicted to enable the authorities complete the match.

For a nation, the one victory which mattered a lot came at Old Trafford when India beat Pakistan with the backdrop of Kargil providing the impetus to Mohammad Azharuddin and his men. The win that day in the World Cup set off celebrations across the country even as our soldiers were engaged in cleaning up the intruders from across the border. It was an eventful victory indeed - on the cricket ground and the battlefield.

But the unprecedented happening at the Eden Gardens was an eyesore and a most unbecoming act which lowered the image of India in the eyes of the cricketing world. A pity it happened at the home of the ICC chairman, Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya, who spread the game worldwide, even on ugly pitches in Los Angeles, in an effort to globalise the game. It was hardly going to help the Indians though as they continued their abysmal record overseas by losing the Tests at Adelaide and Melbourne against the gritty and talented Australians.

There may not have been many any additions to the list of Test- playing nations, but there were hopes of Bangladesh and Kenya joining the elite group in a year or two. It would be imperative for the game's survival to sustain the interest of the associate members of the ICC. Maybe not increase the number of Test-playing nations, but give the official limited overs status to a few more. That is what globalisation is all about as we bid goodbye to an eventful century and await another with hope.

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