The Hindu : Sport : Ashes closest to Australian hearts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 22, 2006

Sport

Sport

Ashes closest to Australian hearts

PETER ROEBUCK

Despite the internecine warfare that breaks out in the back rooms where men forget that they are servants of the game and not its masters, cricket continues to hold the attention. Admittedly the game has fallen back in the Caribbean and Africa as soccer, a simpler and cheaper activity dominates the sports scene, but it is thriving in the Indian Ocean region and down under.

India and Pakistan's overstretched cricketers — it is so easy to overlook the humanity of sportsmen and to imagine that they are machines at our disposal — are currently playing compelling cricket. Both have found exciting youngsters to put beside respected elders. Despite the decline of the heroes of the 1990's, few fears need be held for cricket in the region.

Some of the smaller countries are improving. Although Bangladesh were overwhelmed in Chittagong, still they played enough good cricket to encourage hope that better days lie ahead. Nepal played well in the recent Under-19 World Cup. Youth tournaments can be misleading because age restrictions are not as rigorously applied in emerging countries. Nevertheless the Nepalese impressed all and sundry. Clearly the game has proved as easy to spread thereabouts as ghee. Unfortunately in Africa it is proving as hard to spread as thick honey.

Despite qualifying for the finals of the soccer World Cup in Germany, Australia also retains its enthusiasm for the game of bat and ball. Recently Cricket Australia asked an independent body to discover which sporting trophy locals held closest to their hearts. The Ashes came first by an overwhelming majority, securing 63% of the vote. Soccer's most prestigious trophy was left languishing in second place with 8%.

Admittedly these soundings were taken in the aftermath of the most memorable Ashes series ever played. Even so, the response was remarkable. Australia has changed considerably in the last twenty years as a more cosmopolitan society replaces the rigidities of the past. Sydney has its famous Mardi Gras, African communities are springing up in most major cities, longer established Asian and European groups continue to grow and soccer's popularity is rising. Yet the Ashes matters most. A pound to a penny that Steve Waugh is still much better know down under than Harry Kewell.

Smiles amidst frowns

Accordingly cricket can afford a few smiles amidst the frowns. And the reason is simple. It is an outstanding game. Certainly it can be frustrating but that serves to counterpoint the thrilling days as Sachin Tendulkar cuts loose at Shoaib Akhtar, or Andrew Flintoff hooks Brett Lee, or Brian Lara dispatches Shane Warne or South Africa chases 450 or two sides engage in tense and prolonged combat on an unreliable surface.

Consider the riches of recent years, Australia and India locking horns in 2001, and especially the Kolkata fightback, Lara against the Australians in 1999 and in Sri Lanka a few years later, Warne anywhere at any time, Sanath Jayasuriya at his peak in the mid-90's, Pakistan and India just playing each other, Ntini, bowling wonderfully well for his country, and so many others. Everyone will have his or her own.

But the Ashes deserves pride of place. Here was cricket at its very best, moving slowly and then suddenly spurting, lasting five days and then 25 days and each ball crucial and each day bringing glory and keenly felt misfortune. Other games have much to commend them. But cricket has unique qualities that have provided a curious mixture of frustration and delight for 150 years. Although it will change as times change, my guess is that it will still be going strong in 2156.

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