From: 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu (Murali Iyer)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Sportstar snippets
Date: 7 Jan 93 21:35:29 GMT
Reply-To: 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu
Organization: Marquette University - Computer Services
NNTP-Posting-Host: vmsa.csd.mu.edu


Once again, it is that time. Yes, I got my copy of Sportstar and have read some
of it. I have written the following over a couple of days. So, if it seems
disjointed, please bear with me. 

This issue covers sporting events of note during 1992, plus the regular
features. The "Star poster" is of Carl Lewis, the athlete. The page that caught
my attention as soon as I got the latest issue of Sportstar(Dec 26th) was an
impressive picture of the Pakistan players after the World Cup victory. The
picture shows them still in the middle, picking up a stump or anything that was
handy as souvenir. They are all jubilant, obviously, and one can see a few
pairs of hands - fists - raised in triumph, Imran smiling his famous smile, and
striding towards the pavilion, the wicket-keeper (Moin Khan?) hugging a fellow
player(I can't recognise him from the picture - Malik?). A beautiful picture, I
must say, especially for Pakistani fans. Are you guys eating your hearts out,
yet? :--) :--) 

The issue contains a short (one-page) interview with Allan Lamb, who was
covering the RSA-India series as a TV commentator alongwith Gavaskar, Boycott
and Graeme Pollock. Lamb is disappointed that he is not with the England team
in India right now. When Lamb was asked why he has been castigated by Ray
Illingworth on his inability to play spin, Lamb says Illi has always been
anti-Lamb. But Lamb is happy he has proved Illi wrong by getting runs against
spinners and pacemen alike. 

Lamb has made some of his best runs against WI. He attributes it to the fact
that he was in a positive frame of mind when he faced four of the World's best
bowlers, and was always looking for scoring opportunities, without getting
bogged down. 

Now, the crucial question(s) (Here, I have excerpted):

Q: Do you feel you got the axe because you criticised the Pakistanis for
tampering with the ball?

A: I think the selectors made it clear it could go against my selection. Even
someone like Ted Dexter said that "you don't have much hope".

Q: Were you right in making those allegations against the Pakistani bowlers?

A: Yes. I have no regrets for making the allegations I made. I felt it was the
right thing to do at that time. I can't go on with it but I have no regrets in
making that statement. I can't talk in detail, but all I can say is that I have
no regrets. 

Q: The TCCB has reduced the fine slapped on you for that statement. How did you
react to it?

A: It's been a moral victory. I am very pleased with the decision. I think I
was wrong in breaking a contract. I did break my contract by speaking.
Eventually they felt that I haven't been totally wrong.

Q: What are your memories of India? 
(This is an Indian reporter interviewing, you see)

A: I always found the people very friendly. The hospitality has been great and
I have always got on well with the crowd. And I have got lots of runs in India,
that's the main thing.

(We always oblige them foreigners, don't we?) :--)

****************************

Now, onto the Indian A-Team's performances in Bangladesh. Sidhu and Bhave were
very consistent and gave solid starts. Sidhu is said to have been elegant and
solid in his batting.  Bhave is called one of the few "genuine and solid"
openers in India. Kambli has apparently learnt the lesson that he has to settle
down before attempting the flamboyant strokes he seems so fond of. He did make
good scores, and was the mainstay of Indian batting, alongwith Sidhu and Bhave.
Rajesh Chauhan, the off-break bowler, and Maninder were good in the bowling
department. Ankola, Kuruvilla, Zaidi and Vaidya were not good on the clay-top
surfaces. "they would prefer to forget this tour", the report says. Maninder
and Chauhan, Sidhu, Bhave and Kambli are said to have brightened their chances
for the rubber against England. Sidhu's innings of 95 n.o against Pak and 36
against SL are said to have come a couple of innings to late, since he would
have been in the team to RSA if he had made similar runs in the Duleep Trophy. 

What we must remember is that the Pakistan and Sri Lanka teams which played in
the SAARC tourney were also second string, and performances against them can at
best be used to determine whether the players are in form or not. However, the
fact that the pace bowlers did not meet with much success shows that the
opponents were no pushovers, either. Moin Khan(captain), Saeed Anwar, Zahid
Fazal, Shahid Javed, Aamer Hanif, Tanvir Mehdi and Maqsood Rana were some of
the names mentioned in the report. A few of them have been with the senior
Pakistan Team for the past couple of years, I guess.

-Murali
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket