The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Ganguly not focusing on the ball: Simpson

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Thursday, Apr 14, 2005

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Ganguly not focusing on the ball: Simpson

Special Correspondent

We learned the game watching our peers

MUMBAI: The reason for Sourav Ganguly's poor batting performance, according to former Australian captain and coach, Bobby Simpson, is that he is not focusing on the ball.

"Instead, Ganguly is looking around the bowler's body frame. On the contrary, Sachin Tendulkar watches the ball closely,'' he said during the sixth Legends' Club meeting at the C. K. Nayudu Hall, Cricket Club of India here on Tuesday.

"Nowadays, a batsman who scores century in his fifth ODI is given the status of a legend in India," he said in an obvious reference to Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"It's important to remember our past heroes. The knowledge of many of our heroes was not recorded properly. All of us played men's cricket when we were between 12 and 18 years old. We learned the game watching our peers,'' said Simpson.

He also spoke about Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Little Johnny Martin and Neil Hawke. "Lindwall had a sobriquet, `killer'. Hawke was in the intensive care for 12 months suffering from gangrene. He emphasised the courage of a cricketer. Thousands wanted to emulate Wally Grout, an unrecognised legend.''

"I would like to see a concrete pitch laid in each and every village in India. That's where you can pick the talent. The Indians are genuine lovers of the game," he added.

In Mumbai for his annual camp at the CCI, Simpson said he was disappointed at the way the Indians played in the last two one-dayers. "They did not show common sense in both the matches. They played too many shots in the first 15 overs at Jamshedpur and did not bowl well at Ahmedabad.''

Other speakers at the function were veteran journalist S.K. Sham and Vasant Raiji, cricket historian and President of the Legends' Club.

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