All-round, Some Strokes Of Genius And Plenty Of Unexpected Extras

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday March 24, 2003

Alex Brown

Cricket World Cup or a season of Melrose Place? It was difficult to tell, writes Alex Brown in Johannesburg.

From Shane Warne's drug ban, to Adam Gilchrist's racial charge; from black armband scandals, to an imploding South African team, the past two months have carried more story-lines than a library, more off-field drama than Shakespeare's anthology.

And 53 matches were played, too.

The fallout from this World Cup has already irrevocably changed cricket barely a day after the trophy was lifted. Two captains, Shaun Pollock and Waqar Younis, have been deposed. Of two others, Nasser Hussain has resigned and Sanath Jayasuriya wants out.

Aravinda de Silva, Allan Donald, Andy Flower, Roland Lefebvre and Jonty Rhodes have retired, while Brad Hogg, Shane Bond, Andrew Symonds, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra emphatically announced their arrivals on the world stage.

The most influential Englishmen, Duckworth and Lewis, weren't in their nation's squad. Yet both conspired against the mathematically-challenged South Africans a side now captained by 22-year-old Graeme Smith.

And so it continued. Holland claimed their first World Cup victory, Bangladesh provided all the resistance of wet tissue paper, New Zealand engaged in a pub brawl, Australia broke the West Indies' all-time record for consecutive one-day victories.

Best moment: Black armbands. During Zimbabwe's World Cup opener against Namibia, veteran batsman Andy Flower and young paceman Henry Olonga dared to defy their tyrannical president, Robert Mugabe, with a silent, powerful ``black armband" protest.

Flower was almost sacked over the incident, but eventually retired from international cricket to pursue a career in England and Australia. He doubts he'll return to Zimbabwe. Olonga, meanwhile, remains in hiding in Johannesburg after Zimbabwean secret police were reportedly dispatched to South Africa to take the fast bowler home. If caught, Olonga will supposedly be charged with treason a crime that carries the death penalty in Zimbabwe. Like Flower, he is unlikely to return to his country of birth.

Worst moment: Shane Warne. One hour to Australia's World Cup opener against Pakistan. Covers off. Stumps in. The crowd building.

Press box empty.

Warne had convened a media conference to announce his withdrawal from the World Cup. His 12-month suspension for a banned diuretic made front-page headlines across the world.

(Dis)honourable mentions: New Zealand's boycott of Kenya, England's boycott of Zimbabwe, South Africa's run miscalculation against Sri Lanka, Adam Gilchrist's racial accusation levelled against Rashid Latif, Chris Cairns's bar-room fight in Durban.

Best surprise: Kenya. New Zealand's boycott, coupled with an upset victory over Sri Lanka saw Steve Tikolo's squad qualify for the World Cup super six. Then, with a victory over Zimbabwe, Kenya advanced to the semi-final achieving a feat beyond the grasp of ``superpowers" South Africa, Pakistan, England, the West Indies and New Zealand.

Tikolo and Maurice Odumbe emerged as Kenya's key batsmen, while 21-year-old leg spinner Collins Obuya showed the benefits of several tutoring sessions with Warne. Best batsman: Sachin Tendulkar. Heading into the final, Tendulkar had amassed 669 runs at an average of 66.90. Enough said. Undoubtedly, his best innings came during India's six-wicket victory over Pakistan, where the Little Master slammed 98 from 75 balls before falling to paceman Shoaib Akhtar.

Tendulkar easily smashed the World Cup record for most runs scored in a tournament.

The previous record holder? Tendulkar.

Best bowler: Brett Lee. Fine, label it a ``home-town" call. But Lee's pace, movement and accuracy over the latter stages of the tournament propelled Australia to Sunday's final.

His 20 wickets haven't hurt, either.

Lee's performances in particular, his 5-42 against New Zealand and hat-trick against Kenya boosted his team in a manner others couldn't.

Best innings: No innings was more career-defining, game-turning or World Cup-shaping as Andrew Symonds's unbeaten 143 against Pakistan an innings that sparked a once underachieving all-rounder to average 163 at this World Cup leading into the final. With Australia struggling at 4-86, Symonds produced one of Australia's greatest one-day innings against a fearsome Pakistani attack.

Best bowling spell: Andy Bichel's spell of 7-20 against England the second-best figures in World Cup history, the third-best of all-time.

Bichel, called into the Australian starting XI to replace the injured Jason Gillespie, began his spell with England cruising at 0-66 off nine overs. Then, over 10 devastating overs, Bichel tore the heart out of England's batting line-up and established himself as a legitimate World Cup force.

The Queensland paceman also scored an unbeaten 34 to guide his side to a gripping two-wicket victory.

Best run-out: Chaminda Vaas. A direct hit from square-leg to dismiss Adam Gilchrist for 99.

© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald

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