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SPORTS: CRICKET
Anxiety Attack
Using reason and subtle threats the BCCI manages to convince
a reluctant English team to tour India
By Sharda Ugra
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DROP-OUTS
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TOURING SCARS: Caddick (above left)
and Croft's pullout has led to grumbling, adding to Hussain's (below)
woes
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How
far is Mumbai from Malegaon? Roughly 285 km, the distance between London
and Sheffield. For the English cricket community, it became the distance
between reality and perception. In the controversy over the England team's
tour of India this winter, British newspapers made Malegaon a suburb of
Mumbai, and the entire country too close to Afghanistan for cricket's
comfort. The fuss dragged on for as long
as the war, ending last week when 14 of the original 16 selected agreed
to tour. The controversy played out in the British media distracted the
Indian board from shouting at its team in South Africa, and ensured that
the image of English cricket slipped back to one of moaning tourists out
of touch with the rest of the world.
John Carr, director of cricket operations, England
& Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Tim O'Gorman, Professional Cricketers'
Association representative, and Peter Holland, first secretary, British
High Commission, Delhi, travelled to Kolkata last week seeking reassurances
about security. Every cricket team travelling to India has plainclothes
Special Branch officers and uniformed policemen, an exclusive protection
force of about 30 men, attached to it. When the three Englishmen met BCCI
President Jagmohan Dalmiya, there were indications they talked about higher
security-including, sources say, Black Cat commandos.
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| THREE'S COMPANY: (From left) O'Gorman, Carr
and Holland meet Dalmiya in Kolkata |
Dalmiya insists security was hardly discussed
during the Kolkata meeting but it's not likely the Englishmen merely indulged
in polite chit-chat over tea. Specially since the BCCI chief had played
a key role in forcing the ECB's hand. The decision to tour was prompted
by a round of cricket diplomacy, Dalmiya style. When he heard of English
reluctance to tour for fear of being caught in "anti-American riots"
and general "civil unrest", Dalmiya marched into the International
Cricket Council meeting in Kuala Lumpur, threatening to "reconsider"
India's reciprocal tour of England next year. The ECB did a U-turn, invited
British High Commissioner in India Rob Young to Lord's to give the team
the lowdown about life in the wild east. When five players dragged their
feet over a final decision, Dalmiya spelt out a deadline of November 5.
The ECB's letter of confirmation was in the BCCI's office in Mumbai on
October 31.
The England squad will arrive with some trepidation.
It is learnt that coach Duncan Fletcher had "severe reservations"
about touring, staying put at home in South Africa and making no attempt
to persuade his players to make the trip. He has neither called for his
customary pre-tour meeting nor put out his training schedule. Fast bowler
Andy Caddick, who pulled out, is a reluctant traveller at best. Robert
Croft's decision not to tour was met with much head-shaking: from Indian
batsmen waiting to wade into the Welshman's brand of off-spin. Croft has
played 21 Tests in five years and never bowled at Indian batsmen. It appeared
that the only Englishman who was more than eager for the tour to be held
was captain Nasser Hussain's father Jawad. Hussain senior said that it
was a family dream to have their son captain an England team in India.
—Sharda
Ugra
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