This, that and the other thing
2019 was going to be the year that England, thrice the losing finalist, would finally lay their hands on the World Cup - the pinnacle of cricketing excellence. The road ahead would be rocky, but hadn't Eoin Morgan's team been carefully nurtured and prepared for the arduous journey. One would think they had a surfeit of matches prior to the big event. But that success only served to whet the appetite. England had been the number one ranked team that, supposedly, would chase any target. Scores of 300 or more were par for the course. Yet the best laid plans of mice and men have "aft gang agley" as the poet said.
Poor, helpless South Africa was brushed aside by 104 runs. A 14-run loss to the Pakistanis was passed off as an aberration. The alarm bells started ringing when a disciplined bowling performance by Lasith Malinga et al saw the hosts fall short by 20 runs. Playing without the inspirational Jason Roy, England continued their downward course by losing to their Ashes rivals by 64. It could be a case of staging Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark, as the team now faces the risk of elimination.
Where, any why, did things begin to go so horribly wrong? It probably was all in the mind as England had never thought of a fall-back option. Their attacking mantra would overcome all situations was the unspoken thought. It may have worked against Afghanistan, but did not serve them well against Sri Lanka and Australia. Moeen Ali's terrible heave to long off when Stokes was batting with so much discipline and commitment was cricketing hara-kiri.
Some of the shots played against the Australian left-arm quicks were absolutely condemnable and thoughtless. Morgan leaved blindly to deep square leg. Having played three or four gorgeous shots. Jonny Bairstow took a ball from way outside off stump and holed out to deep mid wicket. Root, at times glorious to watch, was a victim of an old failing, almost falling over as he planted his front foot on off stump and attempted to work the ball square on the leg. The fact that he didn't bother about a referral was a tacit admission of his folly.
It was attack, attack and attack again. No thought was given to sticking around while the admirable Ben Stokes was trying to conjure up a partnership, however small. England have got their just desserts and now stand on the cusp of elimination. This was their best chance and they have blown it. It is doubtful if they will ever get another.
Players such as Kane Williamson, Babar Azam, Shakib Al- Hasan, David Warner and Aaron Finch have all played aggressively and correctly and have reaped due reward. Indians Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have also piled on the runs, but their methods have been slightly more circumspect.
One Day cricket is, supposedly, a batsman's game. But bowlers win matches. Experienced Lasith Malinga raised the standard of the other bowlers with his personal excellence in the game against England. Mitchell Starc has been express quick and is currently the leading wicket taker. The exciting Jofra Archer has been good, but he doesn't convey the same menace as does Starc. It takes a brilliant delivery to dismiss a batsman such as Ben Stokes when the latter is in fullflight. That particular yorker had speed and pin-point accuracy.
Kagiso Rabada, good bowler though he undoubtedly is, has been a tod disappointing in terms of wickets taken. Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson have served their team well.
A once forgotten art-form, leg spin is now used more and more by captains to pick up wickets. Imran Tahir was out on a limb, but has now been joined by the young, talented Shadab. The Pakistan leggies perfectly pitched leg-break that did for Williamson certainly turned the game Pakistan's way. Another Williamson ton was in the offing and had he got there, it would have been curtains for Pakistan.
Another leg spinner, Rashid Khan was expected to light up this World Cup with his extraordinary talent. It hasn't quite been the case. He hasn't obliged partly because of poor fielding and partly because the gloomy situation surrounding his team has stifled his exuberant personality. Mystery spinner Mujeeb has stepped up and his amalgam of off spin, googly, leg spin and carrom-ball has marked him out as a spinner of exceptional talent.
Comparisons are odious. However, Pakistan's win over New Zealand has thrown up a lot of possibilities. It will be recalled that Imran Khan's World Cup winning side of 1992 was a shambles, initially. They lost their first three games and were all out for 72 against England in the next. The rains came to their rescue, and they eked out a bonus point. Exhorted by their charismatic skipper Imran Khan to 'fight like cornered Tigers', the Pakistanis did just that and went all the way. It is often forgotten that the 1992 Pakistan team had in their ranks two all- time greats such as Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram. There was also the precocious talent of a certain Inzamam Ul Haq who set tongues wagging with his exploits in the semi final and the final.
One final thought, can Pakistan do it for a second time? They have a good team no doubt. Imam and Faqhar form an entertaining pair of openers. Babar Azam, at three, is a gloriously uninhibited player whose forte is consistency. Skipper Sarfraz, when he is not berating some of his mates, takes some superb catches behind the stumps. He is also good at putting runs on the board. Their trio of pacies – Amir, Shaheen and Wahab Riaz can make it hot for the opposition. Throw in the leg- spinning talent of Shadub, and they have a pretty good attack.
Amir dropped three catches in one game and that is an area where they will be found wanting.