Tri-series in Malaysia: Good intentions but bad timing
By Anand Philar |
The decision to play a tri-series in Kuala Lumpur, involving India, Australia and the West Indies in September, should provide a big boost to cricket in Malaysia, though the country is light years away from making an impact at the highest level of the sport.
Cricket is not alien to Malaysia where the sport was first played, as per historical records, in the 1880s, thanks in the main to the huge British influence at that time. The Royal Selangor Club was in the forefront of the game’s development, boasting as it was a huge ground that was developed into a cricket field over the years.
However, in terms of popularity, cricket is way off the radar of most Malaysians who follow football with the same fanatical zeal as we do cricket in India. Though the cricket World Cup was shown live on a pay-per-view basis since the 1999 edition following the successful conduct of the Commonwealth Games the previous year, the game enjoys patronage only from some select quarters.
In a country whose population is predominantly Chinese, cricket is yet to take strong roots despite the existence of age-group and junior tournaments besides a few international competitions like the junior Asia Cup and qualifying events for various major meets.
A visit to the official website of Malaysian Cricket Association would reveal that the country’s long-term cricketing goal is to attain Test status by the year 2020. That in itself reflects the state of the game in Malaysia where cricket is played mostly by Malays and Tamils. As such, the interest in cricket is very much there, but it would be a while before it takes wings and penetrates to the roots of the Malaysian peninsula.
During one of my recent visits to Kuala Lumpur earlier this summer, I had the occasion to meet up with cricket enthusiasts during a club dinner. “We want more exchange tours with Indian teams at the club and junior levels. That would be the best way not just to popularise the sport but also attract more youngsters to cricket,” was a constant refrain one heard.
The fact that Malaysia agreed to include cricket in the 1998 Commonwealth Games schedule reflected the keenness in that country to become part of the international cricketing fraternity. But Malaysia certainly cannot boast of top class facilities that could host major international cricket competition.
The hot and humid tropical weather with sudden thunderstorms right through the year, is not exactly conducive to playing cricket. In fact, even the far fitter hockey players usually find the conditions difficult despite playing under floodlights. The ongoing ACC trophy tournament in Malaysia is suffering from rain interruptions. Under circumstances, the timing of the tri-series can be questioned even if the intentions are honourable.
Though the series would generate interest among the locals who would be exposed to top-drawer cricket, the biggest gainers would be the three teams preparing as they are for the ICC Champions Trophy in India in October. Given the unpredictable weather conditions, it remains to be seen how many of the scheduled matches would be completed.
The scenario could be much like the one in Sri Lanka at the moment with rains playing havoc with the schedule of the ill-fated Unitech Cup (now cancelled). It is debatable then as to why the competition was scheduled at all in Sri Lanka where the going is usually wet at this time of the year.
Talking about the Unitech Club, one sympathises with the Sri Lankan Board that is utterly helpless in the wake of the bomb blasts and the subsequent pull-out of South Africa from the tri-series. The Sri Lankans suffered similar fate back in 1996 when a couple of teams refused to play in the island due to political violence that coincided with the World Cup.
Perhaps, the South Africans, like the Indian team, could have stayed on considering that the Sri Lankans were bending backwards to provide adequate security. The tendency of teams pulling out of tours in the sub-continent at the mere hint of political disturbances is questionable. It is not as if countries such as South Africa or England are free of similar incidents. Yet, these very nations do not think twice to cut short their professional commitment without any qualms or consideration to the enormous consequences.
It is time that the ICC got tough with teams that pack up and leave in the middle of a tour. If anything, the Boards of the teams should be held accountable and made to financially compensate the organisers. Unless there is definite evidence of the teams coming under direct threat, the schedule should be honoured on the pain of harsh penalty, including temporary suspension.
The only time that sportspersons were a direct victims of political violence was in 1972 during the Munich Olympics when several Israeli athletes were killed by terrorists. I doubt if cricketers or for that matter any sportsperson, will ever be under such threat. The show must go on.
ReF: This article taken from SIFY.com.
