There is bad news for Indian
cricketers touring Australia, on the way to the final test: it has to be
played. The news comes in the wake of a great effort by the BCCCI (Board for
Controlling Cricketing Commerce in India) and the Australian Cricket Board. The
BCCCI, herein after referred to for brevity as the Board, stated to the host
country that the rule of ‘ best of fours’ should be applied and that the
Aussies have made a strong enough statement and Indian optimism need not be
further tested. This they said would have the desired affect or in the
alternative certain local sections are likely to interpret the on going test
series as an extension of the bouts of violence meted out on Indians some while
ago in Australia. They also referred to the long lasting friendship between the
two Commonwealth Countries and how many Australian cricketers have gained due
to IPL and how the nation was kind to a Greg Chapel who did to Indian cricket
what the British did to Hindu- Muslim unity.
The talks also referred to the most sensitive issue for both sides: Don Bradman
and Sachin Tendulkar. Having been victims to the bodyline series they must show
statesmanship in the Border Series, they argued. Our negotiating team is
usually well prepared. They argued that they could put numbers against the
names of the players based on their test average worked out in juxtaposition
with a calculation as simple as the Duckworth Lewis formula. This they said
would help the averages of many of the players on either side and if necessary
it can be worked out keeping in mind the career averages between the two
counties in a ratio proposed to their over all average and by reducing points
for matches lost in foreign territories and reduced value for matches won on domestic
territory.
The Aussie Board having read sufficiently the spin of the likes of Richie
Benaud and Shane Warne refused to play this ball game. They said at the cost of
the commercials and the frustrations, the game will go on. Chalo Adelaide Doodh
pene said the acting captain.
L. Ravichander