From: 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu (Murali Iyer)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: Imran not to tour England
Date: 14 Apr 92 22:39:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: vms.00959191.FACB4A40
Reply-To: 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu
Organization: Marquette University - Computer Services

In article <16773@plains.NoDak.edu>, ksrao@POWER.EEE.NDSU.NODAK.EDU writes:
>
>     BBC Sports Roundup reported that Imran has ruled himself out from the
>party to tour England this summer because of his shoulder injury. He was
>speaking at a reception to the Pakistan team tonight.
>

If Imran has really made up his mind not to go on the English tour, what would
it mean to Pakistan's cricket? I say "really made up his mind" not because I
doubt the veracity of the report, but because I fear this has happened before
and Imran has been "persuaded" to revoke his decision(Incidentally I saw the
TV coverage of the reception when Gen. Zia urged Imran to lead Pakistan to WI). 
Who could do it this time? PM Nawaz Sharif? I doubt if it is going to be
possible, but no one can say how the cookie crumbles. 

Imran had told Sportstar at the beginning of the World Cup that he found it
extremely difficult to recapture his bowling rhythm, mainly because he felt
that his action was not a natural one and he had consciously developed it thru
years of practice. Now since he had not bowled much after the emergence of the
young bowlers Waqar, Wasim and co., it was that much more difficult, at 39, to
get it all back. But he had to do it or leave his ambition of taking the World
Cup to Pakistan unfulfilled. I thought the man was making supreme efforts to
work for the team, not just as a captain, but also as a player. 

The news about Javed's outburst against Imran has not been confirmed by anyone.
However, the pictures/reports I saw/read in Sportstar do not indicate anything
amiss between the two stalwarts of Pakistan. In fact, the caption for a picture
of Imran and Javed in serious discussion explicitly states that the two are the
"brains-trust" of the team. For the sake of cricket, I hope it is true that
Imran and Javed --or any other team member-- are on good terms with each other.
We see enough of that as it is. It might provide a thrill(cheap?) to some to
read about the rifts and fights, but what good does it do the teams? We in
India have seen this happen quite often. Not that other teams have not
experienced it. :--)

>    In other news, Australia has named a squad of 13 for the Srilankan tour.
>Notable omissions include Marsh, Steve Waugh, Reid and Hughes (I think I got
>this name right; it may be Mathews though). Mark Waugh is the vice captain.

Mark Waugh? Wow! This sounds like a real step forward. This may almost prove 
to be the end for Steve Waugh, despite his prolific domestic run. A pity. Geoff
Marsh may also have seen his best days in the limelight already. The signs were
there even during the Indian tour. Is Mark Taylor in? Peter Roebuck had
attrubuted some of the failures of Mark Waugh and Mark Taylor to the "second
season" syndrome. 

>K. Sankara Rao                          e-mail ksrao@power.eee.ndsu.nodak.edu
>
-Murali.
                               Murali Iyer 
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