Cricket and mere mortals

[burger_uno]

Most people would think I needed help if I spent my time critiquing Roger Federer's forehand or passing snide comments on Andy Murray's tennis career because he did not have as much success as some of his biggest rivals.

The level at which cricketers operate is beyond comprehension of non-professionals. When I used to play club cricket in Karachi in the mid to late 90s, we had a rule that no team could field a player who was remotely connected to first class. However, this being Pakistan, we know how rules are respected. So there were occasions where a team would have in its line-up, a player who had been on the books of department like PARCO or Sui Northern and had played an occasional match for them couple of years back. If that player was batsman, then that was the end of our afternoon. The batsman, who could not even make it to minor first class side, would spank us silly for about 15 to 20 overs without missing a beat. We would reach our limit after chasing the ball for an hour in 35c heat and at that point, we would have a conversation with opposing captain and threaten to pull out unless something was done. Usually we would find out later that opposing player in question was participating upon payment of couple of hundred rupees and a plate of biryani. We got wise to the antics and developed our own rolodex. Unfortunately, that meant that there was no room for hacks like me in the team and that was the end of that.

Thankfully, we never got to face a real fast bowler other than one time in the nets. Twenty years have passed and yet every second of that encounter is still fresh in my mind. We also saw some Sindh Under-19 players practice at the nets at defence stadium which sadly does not exist anymore. (this is the stadium where Waqar destroyed Zimbabwe once in a test match). Even watching these young kids at full-flight from up close was a sight to behold. And occasionally we would get lucky and find someone like Hasan Raza in action. Often we would give our new bats to them for knocking and 30mins later, we would get our bats back with red marks at the sweet spot and all other parts untouched.

We also played a lot of matches at the UBL Cricket stadium in Federal B-area. We had to use the outside ground when there was a first class match taking place. Often times before the first class match started, we we saw players arriving in Honda 50s or in rickshaws. It is amazing to think so many cricketers in Pakistan have devoted so much of their lives to the sport that gave so little back to them in return.

This is where Pakistan fans can play a constructive role. It should be obvious that PCB until recently has failed in its role. By highlighting its short-comings, we can make things better. Cricket is a results driven business and players themselves know they have to perform to succeed. People who have reached the pinnacle of Pakistan cricket are more competitive and driven than any ordinary individual. By no means are they perfect but they have been in the heat of the battle and know better than ordinary mortals on what it takes to succeed.

 

[MenInG]

I love the sentiment in this post!

We tend to be too harsh our cricketers at times but then that's what sports fan do! They are passionate about the game but some go overboard.

 

[UP]

What a post. Great write up. We at comfort of our homes are quick to criticize players personally and professionally, which I’m guilty of it too. What we don’t understand is the gamble they take of their futures. Its boom or bust in a country like Pakistan. A player like Nauman Ali - who got his chance so late, imagine the struggle and heat he went through. Immense respect for all of them.

 

[Madplayer]

A beautiful post. Thanks for sharing.

 

[burger_uno]

thanks for the kind sentiments.

i am not arguing that cricketers should be treated with kid gloves. on the contrary, anyone who choses a career in the spotlight should be prepared for criticism fair or otherwise. i would guess that players who handle outside pressure are the ones who are likely to succeed in the field as well. this is also an area where pcb can help by providing right guidance on handling the media. a problem peculiar to pakistan is the nature of local media which is filled with hacks and ex-cricketers who are even worse. unfortunately some of them are also front for lobbies. some ex-players may have had negative experience while playing and carry resentment post-retirement.

there will be immeasurable improvement in our cricket culture if pcb implements measure to safeguard post retirement life for first class players such as providing pension/residence in housing colonies and money for adult education courses etc. this issue is especially topical now since departmental cricket has ended. players in turn should agree to a code of conduct and serious violation should result in forfeiture of benefits.

we hear of ex-players dealing with mental issues post retirement even in rich countries like england where they have multiple career options after their playing days are over. i would imagine stress would be far greater on local first-class players who dont succeed at international level. if we expect our players to meet international standards, we need to ensure that they have access to resources available to foreign players. if we dont have professionalism in first class, we should not expect any better at international level.

 

[Colorblind Genius]

most people would think i needed help if i spent my time critiquing roger federer's forehand or passing snide comments on andy murray's tennis career because he did not have as much success as some of his biggest rivals.

the level at which cricketers operate is beyond comprehension of non-professionals. when i used to play club cricket in karachi in the mid to late 90s, we had a rule that no team could field a player who was remotely connected to first class. however, this being pak, we know how rules are respected. so there were occasions where a team would have in its line-up, a player who had been on the books of department like parco or sui northern and had played an occasional match for them couple of years back. if that player was batsman, then that was the end of our afternoon. the batsman, who could not even make it to minor first class side, would spank us silly for about 15 to 20 overs without missing a beat. we would reach our limit after chasing the ball for an hour in 35c heat and at that point, we would have a conversation with opposing captain and threaten to pull out unless something was done. usually we would find out later that opposing player in question was participating upon payment of couple of hundred rupees and a plate of biryani. we got wise to the antics and developed our own rolodex. unfortunately, that meant that there was no room for hacks like me in the team and that was the end of that.

thankfully, we never got to face a real fast bowler other than one time in the nets. twenty years have passed and yet every second of that encounter is still fresh in my mind. we also saw some sind under-19 players practice at the nets at defence stadium which sadly does not exist anymore. (this is the stadium where waqar destroyed zimbabwe once in a test match). even watching these young kids at full-flight from up close was a sight to behold. and occasionaly we would get lucky and find someone like hasan raza in action. often we would give our new bats to them for knocking and 30mins later, we would get our bats back with red marks at the sweet spot and all other parts untouched.

we also played a lot of matches at the ubl cricket stadium in federal b-area. we had to use the outside ground when there was a first class match taking place. often times before the first class match started, we we saw players arriving in honda 50s or in rickshas. it is amazing to think so many cricketers in pak have devoted so much of their lives to the sport that gave so little back to them in return.

this is where pak fans can play a constructive role. it should be obvious that pcb until recently has failed in its role. by highlighting its short-comings, we can make things better. cricket is a results driven business and players themselves know they have to perform to succeed. people who have reached the pinnacle of pak cricket are more competitive and driven than any ordinary individual. by no means are they perfect but they have been in the heat of the battle and know better than ordinary mortals on what it takes to succeed.

Majority of our fans are spoiled by the glories of the past.

Consciously or unconsciously, many of us want the same class of heroes and the same kind of dominating warriors.

Imrans and Wasims and Waqars and Inzis and Razzaqs etc are our measuring sticks.

However, the quality of cricket has stooped down to a point that we have become an upper level minnows.
And the main reason was very nicely captured here by Savak

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...-for-the-stagnation-of-Pakistan-Cricket-today


The fans frustration is pretty normal.

There could also be an auxiliary factor of a social/behavioral change in many fans over the years.

Financial squeeze and sky rocketing inflation has caused quite a lot of anxiety, anger, and frustration in the general pubic. We have become a little more impatient and a little more unforgiving than before.

And I guess many of us, find the players to be the easy targets to vent out our cricket and general frustration from daily life. The players can’t fight back to our criticism rendered in the cyber world. So it’s all good.

I still believe Pak fans are one of the best fans in the world.

With the amount of anxiety, blood pressure, TB, High Cholesterol, diabetes, frustration, anger and shocks this team has given us over the last decade or two, there wouldn’t be a single fan left. But I salute Pak fans that we still support, follow and get behind this team. Can’t find such faithful fans anywhere else.

And surely, we are much’much better than our neighbors where players effigies are set ablaze, and their houses are attacked etc.

However, getting back to the point,

I was listening to an interview of Haneef Muhammad and he said, I and many others used to go play a TEST match on a bicycle.

There was absolutely no greed or worry about the money. There was no shame. We simply loved the game and wanted to fight for our country.

Also, listened to Javed in an interview where he said that a player would fight till his last drop of blood, only and only if he truly believes that the reputation of his country is solely on his shoulders. No amount of money can instigate this kind of passion in a player.

And since times have changed where cricket is not primarily looked as a sports anymore. It has become a business, and all what matters in business is money.

Players break into the intl scene, wear Oakleys and raise their collars to act as heroes, while they look to cash out on these various T20 Tamasha league opportunities.
They want to make as much money as they can.
And there isn’t anything wrong in it. It’s just that the focus has been shifted.

Many players are not selfless anymore and hence, that passion has diluted.

 

[DeadBall]

Potw. A welcome break from the usual bickering by many posters (some more than others) here, myself included.

 

[burger_uno]

its natural that we would fondly recall exploits of the stars of the golden generation of the 90s who snatched victory many times from impossible positions all the while entertaining us with their flamboyant style of play. but nostalgia should not make us blind to their faults. all those stars had big egos which resulted in a poisonous team culture and left a bad impression on next generation of players. its likely that likes of asif and amir would have a fulfilling career had they emerged as a part of australian setup for example. its taken pak cricket a long time to emerge from poisonous legacy of infighting which started in the 90s and extended all the way until misbah took charge. even in the 80s and earlier, there had been disputes on captaincy. i remember hearing discord started when a green javed burki was appointed captian of a team which had in its rank, a veteran hanif mohammed. in the 80's there was rebellion led by imran khan against maindad who to his credit never made a fuss and continued to fight for the team under any situation.

pak cricket has done well when authority has existed with strong leaders like imran khan, miandad and inzimam while there has been instability when captain has been unable to implement full authority such as under wasim, amir sohail, waqar , yk etc. however situation has changed over the last few years. we have transition from misbah to babar azam without any issues may this continue going forward.

pak has also achieved significant victories over the last decade although the last couple of years have been a low point. the last tour of australia was as bad as i have seen in terms of phaintee. when i was a kid, i used to get up in the middle of the night to listen to radio commentary from australia. in comparison, i did not see a single ball from the last series down under. thankfully, since then, i do detect a turnaround in team fortunes bolstered by emergence of good young talent that can hopefully reach its potential. hopefully pcb can play its part.

as for socio-economic situation, things were dire in karachi in the mid-90s. i remember once driving to ubl sports complex on the morning when news came out the altaf hussain's brother had been shot and killed. such was our fanaticism that we played cricket even with gunshots ringing in the background given that stadium was in a location that was garh of mqm. economically we had to deal with fallout from nuclear explosion. things improved from the low point then and it wont be any different now imshallah.