From: ss733645@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Sohban Shahid)
Subject: Re: Cricket and provincialism
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 04:29:53 GMT
Reply-To: ss733645@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu
Organization: Colorado State U. Civil Engineering

In article <karnik.722038861@deci>, karnik@deci.cs.umn.edu (Neeran M. Karnik) writes:
|> In <Nov17.092849.28484@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU> ss733645@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Sohban Shahid) writes:
|> 
|> >Folks its 2.30 in the morning and I need to get some
|> >sleep but today I will present my opinions on this
|> >issue. Please keep your fingers crossed.
|> 
|> 
|> 
|> 	Hey Sohban, we're still waiting, with bated breath :-> How much 
|> longer will it be ? My fingers are badly cramped by now :-)

 OK,  OK Neeran.....I was a little late but it is still Nov17, 92.

So folks, I have to say something on 'cricket and Provincialism'.
First of all I want to clarify my position that by no means I 
support any kind of favourism at any level of cricket.  Yeap, I
know that its very much bookish but for me its very practical
too.  My discussion might will hurt the feelings of some emotional
indian or a pakistani but regardless of that the truth will stand.

Cricket in subcontinent is like an unknown religion that makes
you cry when the gods of this game disappoints you and makes you
laugh when you get few moments of joy in the form of a victory.  Its 
just a feeling which one has to consider inorder to judge the 
fairness of this game and its blind lovers.

The infrastructure of cricket in Pakistan and India may be a little
different but the grooming of cricketers took place in more less 
the same way.  Ugly brown wickets that normally give hard looks to a 
fast bowler and behave nicely to slow bowlers.  Most of the time 
players concentrate on one side of their game. They have to prove 
their metal at different levels and have to earn a place in the 
national team. So, they try it first at inter-college or university 
level. After passing this stage they have to compete for the zones
and districts.  In Pakistan's domestic cricket there is a little
diversity, local organizations hire competent players and then
they have to represent them in different tournaments like Quaid-e-
Azam trophy, wills Cup, Patrons Trophy, and many small ones. In
India this thing has different name like Ranjhi Trophy, Irani Cup
with some good supporting cricket.

The reason why I tell this loolaby is that the cricketers normally
get some fame at the zonal level in India and at senior league in 
Pakistan.  Pakistans domestic cricket does not support or carry any
thing that has to do with the provinces or districts or zones. They
play senior league cricket at organizational level.  But BCCI has
its setup according to zones and districts.  So, its quite natural
that if a Bombayite watch SRT in his/her zone and he/she would like 
to see him in the national side, b'cos he is the best in his/her 
opinion. Similarly there are other good players who might have the
same or more number of fans at the zonal or national level.  India
has 22 provinces and unfortunately they have to pick 11 best,
available players.  Some goober person has introduced the concept
of quotas in the game and person like Ravi got excited.  For him 
Raman is the best choice with ordinary credentials at national level 
and excellent at zonal level.  But tell me where in the game you need
representation of provinces.  Certainly there is no room for this 
thing but I want my favourite player inside so I need an excuse and
the best shortcut is, equal representation of provinces.  So now no
matter what, the national team has to carry a load of shit all over
the world. Ravi, this is not for Raman or Rizwan-uz-Zaman I am still
talking in a very general sense.  In some sense provincialism is
justified b'cos you guys play cricket at province level but how on
earth this thing has entered into English, Pakistani and West
Indian setup. The answer is that in England those counties
represents a local community, similarly teams of different islands 
in West Indies represents small or big islands. Many of us have
seen on rsc that people are annoyed with the selection of their 
national side and in their opinion selectors are biased.  

So, this whole issue has to do with the provinces or the 
representation of provinces.  It has to do with us and with
our feelings towards our favourite player.  In my opinion Saleem
Yousuf, Shoaib Mohammed, Tauseef Ahmad, Saeed Anwar, are all victums
of this ill policy or bogus quota system. West Indian fans can
fill more names in it but problem will remain the same because
there are humans who are making judgements and they are prone to
mistakes.  Pakistani hockey team used to be very good and now 
they can hardly stand against any good side, just because of quotas
and provincialism that are not clear but they are there. As long
as the combination will bring victory home no body will complain
about favourism but when comes the defeat all will starts crying
in different rythmes. Look at Saleem Yousuf, he is alone and
there is a victorious pakistani side so nobody gives a damn to his
potential.  And just scan through the records of Shoaib and then
decide who is fair and who is baised.  Imran started his compaign
against him by first saying that he is not one day type and now
he is not even a test type.  Imran guided many good bowlers but
he was not successfull in giving a good dependable batsmen. This
is the reason why Javed goes against him for a change in domestic
cricket. For Shoaib, things are the same. There is no Imran but
there is one idiot like Javed Burki who himself was a flop but
chew everything that Imran spits on him along with joker Intikhab.

The name dropping will not end but we have to realise that our
interest lies in the display of excellent cricket.  If Shastri is
doing OK then keep him in the side otherwise who are you and who
is me, just works fine.  Its good that Indian team is getting
hard time and you guys will see that they will emerge as good as
they used to be.  There will be no complains for Raman and Shoaib
as the time goes by.

Neeran, my article is very disjointed and its b'cos I'm writing
it without making my mind for it.  I have lot of things to do
but give a good critique to it. I may be wrong at some places but
If somebody will argue on it then it would be fun.

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SOHBAN SHAHID                
Civil Engg. Dept.                (303) 491 7710/8204 (work)
Colorado State University        (303) 224 0397  (home)
Ft. Collins, CO-80523

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Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket