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Laxman: A visiting artist comes home to Sydney

Harsha Bhogle

Posted online: Friday, January 04, 2008 at 0000 hrs IST

The cricket on display here in Sydney has been excellent and frustrating. There has been pace and swing; the swashbucklers have showcased themselves with the battlers; the curator has produced an excellent pitch and the umpires have played spoilsport. Still Test cricket is in robust health and provides the kind of wholesome entertainment that few events on earth can.

A visiting artist came home to Sydney. It is a ground that has recognised the Laras and Tendulkars among others but will retain a little corner of its heart for VVS Laxman. There is a reason the Aussies love him; he is direct, uncomplicated and takes the attack to the opposition. Australians admire people who stand up to them, those that moan are considered unworthy. And Laxman has always stood up to them. This Test match was no different. With the ball coming on and the bounce true, Laxman got into position beautifully and dusted the mothballs off his pull shot. And he batted like a violinist would on a big night. Had he not played cricket he might have been a surgeon and indeed, this was a surgeon’s innings.

There has been a lot of nonsense written about Laxman in recent times and maybe we do not understand the treasure we possess. Good batsmen seek a move up the order and men of character speak little. Two men of great character and integrity put on 175 and each put the team’s need first. They may have batted in different styles, one may have streaked ahead of the other, one may have blossomed while the other ploughed on difficult terrain but they were doing a job for the side. Rahul Dravid struggled. He isn’t anywhere near his best, but rarely has he taken a backward step when the team has called.

Sadly, the umpires struggled too and it is never a good match when the men in white coats play a substantial role. And I’m afraid the time has come to say good-bye to Steve Bucknor. And to a gentleman called Bruce Oxenford who achieved the hitherto difficult feat of getting a replay verdict wrong. It may seem harsh, but it is harsher still for those who toil away against a great team and get but the odd chance. Bucknor’s is a strange case. When the television replay was first introduced in 1992, he refused to use technology and is still reluctant. Worse still, he has lost the respect of the players. That is the pillar an umpire must stand on and when it is gone a polite thank you card should be on its way.

India could have vented their frustration, but they have chosen to deal with it with a sense of balance and dignity. Disappointment was shown but the game moved on and there were no fancy statements made to the media, no attempt made to explain away Australia’s total to poor officials. India have not used it as a crutch and I hope nobody does. Anil Kumble may be a mere four Tests old as a Test captain, the odd field placement may meet with disapproval from some, but he has carried himself outstandingly. There has been little animosity between the teams, even hungry newspapers haven’t found a whiff of a headline. It should be that way in all sport, actions speaking louder than words.

And so a new year has begun with a lot of action. 2007 was a mixed bag and until those that run Indian cricket commit themselves to excellence it will remain that way. The high point was the 20-20 win and the fearlessness of youth and the Test win in England where India played tough cricket in conditions that the hosts would have liked. And franchise driven domestic cricket is round the corner, as it should be.

The World Cup was a low but it might surprise some that two other candidates emerge for the lowest point of the year. One of those was the BCCI’s decision to deny the Indian team the practice matches they needed in Australia. A team can play against opposition on a cricket ground but when the opponents are within, nobody can win. The second was the decision to single out one player for higher reward when the team won the 20-20 World Cup and for both these reasons I believe 2007 was the year when money formally became the greatest enemy of Indian cricket. In mindlessly pursuing it, in putting it above everything else Indian cricket forgot that cricket must come first.

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Laxman: A visiting artist comes home to Sydney Harsha Bhogle Posted online: Friday, January 04, 2008 at 0000 hrs IST The cricket on display here in Sydney has been excellent and frustrating. There has been pace and swing; the swashbucklers have showcased themselves with the battlers; the curator has produced an excellent pitch and the umpires have played spoilsport. Still Test cricket is in robust health and provides the kind of wholesome entertainment that few events on earth can. A visiting artist came home to Sydney. It is a ground that has recognised the Laras and Tendulkars among others but will retain a little corner of its heart for VVS Laxman. There is a reason the Aussies love him; he is direct, uncomplicated and takes the attack to the opposition. Australians admire people who stand up to them, those that moan are considered unworthy. And Laxman has always stood up to them. This Test match was no different. With the ball coming on and the bounce true, Laxman got into position beautifully and dusted the mothballs off his pull shot. And he batted like a violinist would on a big night. Had he not played cricket he might have been a surgeon and indeed, this was a surgeon’s innings. There has been a lot of nonsense written about Laxman in recent times and maybe we do not understand the treasure we possess. Good batsmen seek a move up the order and men of character speak little. Two men of great character and integrity put on 175 and each put the team’s need first. They may have batted in different styles, one may have streaked ahead of the other, one may have blossomed while the other ploughed on difficult terrain but they were doing a job for the side. Rahul Dravid struggled. He isn’t anywhere near his best, but rarely has he taken a backward step when the team has called. Sadly, the umpires struggled too and it is never a good match when the men in white coats play a substantial role. And I’m afraid the time has come to say good-bye to Steve Bucknor. And to a gentleman called Bruce Oxenford who achieved the hitherto difficult feat of getting a replay verdict wrong. It may seem harsh, but it is harsher still for those who toil away against a great team and get but the odd chance. Bucknor’s is a strange case. When the television replay was first introduced in 1992, he refused to use technology and is still reluctant. Worse still, he has lost the respect of the players. That is the pillar an umpire must stand on and when it is gone a polite thank you card should be on its way. India could have vented their frustration, but they have chosen to deal with it with a sense of balance and dignity. Disappointment was shown but the game moved on and there were no fancy statements made to the media, no attempt made to explain away Australia’s total to poor officials. India have not used it as a crutch and I hope nobody does. Anil Kumble may be a mere four Tests old as a Test captain, the odd field placement may meet with disapproval from some, but he has carried himself outstandingly. There has been little animosity between the teams, even hungry newspapers haven’t found a whiff of a headline. It should be that way in all sport, actions speaking louder than words. And so a new year has begun with a lot of action. 2007 was a mixed bag and until those that run Indian cricket commit themselves to excellence it will remain that way. The high point was the 20-20 win and the fearlessness of youth and the Test win in England where India played tough cricket in conditions that the hosts would have liked. And franchise driven domestic cricket is round the corner, as it should be. The World Cup was a low but it might surprise some that two other candidates emerge for the lowest point of the year. One of those was the BCCI’s decision to deny the Indian team the practice matches they needed in Australia. A team can play against opposition on a cricket ground but when the opponents are within, nobody can win. The second was the decision to single out one player for higher reward when the team won the 20-20 World Cup and for both these reasons I believe 2007 was the year when money formally became the greatest enemy of Indian cricket. In mindlessly pursuing it, in putting it above everything else Indian cricket forgot that cricket must come first.