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151 editions of the world’s most famous sports book WisdenEXTRA No. 14, February 2015 World Cup Special The show must go on the next month ’s World Cup marks its Tendulkar in 2011. Plenty to cherish there, and to keep 40th anniversary in and , still us hopeful. unsure of where it fits into the game’s labyrinthine There is no reason why the World Cup can’t be a lot constellation. of fun. Some say the 50-over game is being squeezed World Cups are supposed to be the showpiece, yet out by the shorter and longer formats either side of it, cricket’s version does not even use the format of the but it is still loved round the world. It binds the eras, game which is still regarded as the pinnacle of the long enough to offer the ebb and flow that distinguishes sport, nor that which is its most accessible. Increasingly cricket but spiced with a ticking clock. it risks being lost among a tide of tournaments and And only the arch-cynic could deny that, however matches which dull the senses; these days you can make poorly it is treated, sport still has a mind of its own. As a reasonable guess that somewhere around the world a Patrick Eagar’s photographs show in this issue of Wisden one-day international is taking place (there were 450 of EXTRA, you never know quite what’s in store. We might them between this World Cup and the last one in 2011). get lucky. Even those who govern the game have seemed unsure What the World Cup really needs to get it up and what to make of it, forever tinkering with the number running is a good show from its supporting cast, of teams and stretching the quantity of matches so that the Associate nations who have too often flattered they appear like dots at the earth’s end. to deceive. For them, this tournament is the apex of Over the next few pages Matthew Engel, who was achievement. On page 10 and Kabir ringside when the World Cup was born, reflects this Khan, two -born cricketers who have been at opinion in his skilful but damning navigation through the centre of cricket in the and the last 40 years. As Matthew sees it, a good thing has Afghanistan, speak intimately and insightfully about the gone to waste. particular challenges – political and technical – faced by And yet if we cast the net back over the first ten their adopted nations. World Cups we scoop up – beneath a mountain of If you feel like Matthew does you can the World dead fish – some triumphant and indelible moments Cup by dipping into our extract from the new anthology in cricket history. launching a new era in Wisden on Grace, featuring the unlikely trio of Geoffrey 1975, ’s earth-shaking victory in 1983, Pakistan Moorhouse, Neville Cardus and Craig Spearman. We also reaching fever pitch in 1992, landing among pay tribute to Phillip Hughes by reprinting the report of the elite in 1996, the semi-final thriller between South his twin Test hundreds at six years ago – a match Africa and Australia at Edgbaston in 1999, Dwayne in which short-pitched fast was to the fore. Leverock’s earth-shaking catch in 2007 (in my mind he is perpetually defying gravity), the coronation of Benj Moorehead Eagar’s Eye p23 Patrick Eagar, the doyen of cricket photographers, has covered nine of the ten World Cups since 1975. In that time he has seen some strange things – bizarre dismissals, shock defeats, even a war over stumps. Across these pages Patrick delves into his World Cup collection to find 10 events that took him by surprise.

© John Wisden & Company Limited 2014 Wisden is a trademark of John Wisden & Company Limited WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 1 The Big Hit The first week of June 1975 in was a very its appeal throughout even for spectators whose team strange one indeed. On the Monday, June 2, cricket invariably goes out early (England) or never even gets Matthew Engel wonders what happened to the tournament WORLD was snowed off at Buxton and a few desultory flakes a sniff of the finals (India). The whole planet holds its that had him entranced when it began some 40 years ago CUP were also spotted at Lord’s – as well as outside my breath. bedroom window in Northamptonshire. This seemed Cricket’s World Cup now has 40 years worth of like the continuation of a of dismal summers, and I history. Has it spread the game of cricket? No. Despite remember feeling awfully depressed about the then not mass migration from the subcontinent across the globe, unfashionable notion of global cooling. the geography of cricket in terms of competitive power On the Tuesday play resumed at Buxton: Derbyshire has budged hardly at all, except in the strange and were bowled out for 42 and 87 on the snow-affected special case of Afghanistan. to give Lancashire victory by a trifling Has the World Cup showcased the sport and and 348. By the Thursday the weather was starting to enthused new generations? Not much. Is it the perk up and the British electorate, in a mood of sunny undisputed pinnacle of the sport? Certainly not. contentment, voted by a 2–1 margin to stay inside what Has it constructed a treasure-house of unforgettable was then called the Common Market, and is now the moments? Well, yes, but the contents are a bit of a European Union. mish-mash and not all of them are worth treasuring. On the Saturday cricket’s newest tournament began There have been 352 World Cup ties played so far; at four English Test grounds simultaneously, the game’s the return on capital from this memory-bank, I relationship with the still black-and-white medium would suggest, has not been great. of television still being unsophisticated. This was the The first problem is that, quite obviously, top- World Cup or, as the authorities preferred to call it, the level cricket is not a global game. Actually, this is even Prudential Cup; they were already quite with-it about more true of rugby union, let alone . getting the sponsors’ name up front and centre. But these two are more able to make a big deal The opening match at Lord’s did not even attract of their quadrennial highlight, because they have a full house, and after England delighted the crowd nothing else like it. with a massive score, 334 for four, India’s Sunil In cricket there is a World Cup, or something very Gavaskar bizarrely chose to opt for exaggerated bloody- like it, along every minute. There is the Champions minded practice, scoring 36 out of 132 for three Trophy and the World Cup and various in 60 overs. mini-World Cups... and we have only just escaped But by the time the competition ended just two the loopy idea of a Test match semi-final and final. weeks later it was an unmitigated triumph. The first Modern cricket is mainly designed to provide cheap World Cup final, West Indies v Australia, was both the product for minority TV stations which involves longest day of the year and the longest day international endless reiteration; this is not compatible with cricket had ever known. It began with world-stopping drama. hooking into kingdom come, but falling Furthermore, cricket is no longer one game but on his stumps as he did so. It ended nine and three- three, and they are becoming increasingly estranged quarter hours later after an unforgettable contest, from each other. I would guess only a minority now with , the man of the match, lifting the follow all three with enthusiasm. And some players trophy. The stars and the weather and the players and are finding it hard to excel at everything and have the moment had all aligned and cricket, as sometimes begun specialising. happens, had been touched by magic. Another World And then there is the format of the event itself, Cup? Bring it on! designed to produce maximum content (about a On Valentine’s Day 2015, at the Hagley Oval in third of those 43 days will comprise actual playing , cricket’s 11th World Cup begins. There time) not maximum excitement. There are eight The magic of will be huge local enthusiasm: the tournament has not teams out of 14 that matter in the World Cup. In been to the Antipodes for nearly a quarter of a ; the betting odds, it’s 250 to 1 against the ninth, the New Zealand team is on a roll; and the populace , and 1000 to 1 anyone else. The whole of has no English-style reservations about its preference the first month will be spent whittling down the 14 the cup for one-day cricket. It will finish in , not 14 to guess how many? Eight. days later, like the first one, but 43 days later. The 2014 Logically, this is an even worse system than the football World Cup in Brazil lasted 31 days. Super Eight method dumped after the dreadful 2007 For any sporting administrator, this is the template. tournament in West Indies. In 2011 England lost to both Football’s ruling body FIFA is a disgrace, yet it runs Bangladesh and Ireland but were still the only one of a tournament that cannot fail, whether it is staged in the three to qualify for the quarter-finals. It is a recipe Clive Lloyd, the West Indies captain, lifts the 1975 World Qatar or on Mars. The simplicity of the sport, its global for boredom, complacency and, dare I say it, potential Cup after receiving it from appeal and the 85-year patina of tradition all combine corruption. Prince Philip to make this the apogee of the planet’s sporting cycle. Curiously, cricket’s World Cup has always been As an event, the Olympics is No. 1 but most of the continued overleaf Patrick Eagar, Getty Images actual competition is kak. The FIFA World Cup holds

2 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup specialSpecial WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 3 1 Eagar’s Eye

I never saw anything else quite like this. It was the third over of the first World

1975 Cup final between West Indies and Australia at Lord’s, and Dennis Lillee bowls a to Roy Fredericks. OK, the hook shot, great, first proper picture. The hook was Fredericks’ signature shot. It went for six. Then, with a bit of a delay, I suddenly realised he had slipped and, without noticing, brushed his stumps. , bless him, has watched the ball all the way to the . Only the square-leg has seen it all. This turned out to be quite the best one-day match I have seen.

fairer than football’s. In that World Cup the hosts are as well as the traditional Test venues. Thus it was that the norm. It was a wretched loss. Sixty was enough to 2011 was perceived as a success, mainly because perceived to have a big advantage and until 2010 no perhaps the most astounding of all World Cup games combine the skills of full-length cricket with the urgency India won it at home: the culmination of their long European country ever won on another continent; took place at, of all places, rhododendron-fringed of the one-day game. Cut down, it became something march to dominance that began at Tunbridge Wells. cricket never had a home winner at all until 2011. Tunbridge Wells. It was there that India crumpled to 17 different: more formulaic and one-dimensional as It marked the apotheosis of both the ludicrous Indeed, in some mystical way this competition has a for five against and the brink of elimination well as less profound – a contest between bat and a Tendulkar cult and the country’s increasingly alarming remarkable way of producing the winner that feels right. before smashed an unbeaten 175. number rather than bat and ball. In practice, the advent grip on the game’s culture. A brief run-through: West Indies’ inaugural win This proved to be a turning-point in cricket history, of floodlights would have made 60 overs possible And so to 2015. Forty years on, one-day cricket was repeated in 1979 in the same setting but less sun- not just in marking the beginning of India’s ascent anywhere. And continuation at that length would have has moved into the category of so many other blessed and messier circumstances: they fielded their but also of taking the tournament away from the ensured the World Cup’s primacy over all imitations. inventions – the steam engine, the bicycle, the jet players while Australia sent a second XI. rhododendrons and into what even England had to But it was an idea whose time had gone. engine, the web, football, rugby and indeed cricket Four years on from that, Clive Lloyd appeared certain to accept was the real world. Never again would England And so the new era began. The subcontinent’s first itself – emanating from Britain but adopted and lift yet another trophy until halfway through the final, be regarded as the default hosts, a notion based partly tournament in 1987 produced the weakest of all winning adapted more zestfully elsewhere. England have still before his batsmen crashed to earth to give India a most on post-imperial deference and partly on the facts of teams, Australia in a thin year. Pakistan then won at the never won this World Cup and are not expected to improbable victory. daylight: that the UK in midsummer was the only place MCG in the cornered-tiger tournament of 1992. This change that now. This was a happy tournament, held in England yet with enough of it to allow 60-over cricket. was the first to be played in coloured clothing so that I won’t be spending the English winter nights again but this time spread round the county grounds Henceforth 50-over one-day cricket would become cricket’s showpiece no longer even looked like what listening obsessively to hear about distant Duckworth- had been previously been regarded as cricket. Sri Lanka Lewises and powerplays. I am sure I will start taking reinvigorated the genre in the pinch-hit-dominated 1996 an interest after the first month. All the time, though, event with their thrilling reinvention of the strategy and in my heart, I will always be hoping that somehow a very popular surprise win. Then came three flops in a this increasingly cynical and introverted game can row, all won by Australia at the peak of their powers with recapture something of the magic of that distant June. very little challenge. As dud of duds, 2007 in West Indies, a logistical disaster turned to horror by the mysterious death Matthew Engel is a columnist on the Financial Times. of , must get the prize ahead of 1999 back in He edited 12 editions of Wisden: 1993 to 2000 and 2004 to England, which was merely shabby and half-hearted. 2007. His latest book is Engel’s England (Profile Books)

4 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 5 Eagar’s Eye 1987 2

The trouble with ’s infamous reverse sweep against in Calcutta was that, as a photographer would say, he was at the ‘wrong’ end. At most grounds photographers tended to gather together at one end based on lighting, background, convenience (how near it is to lunch). You didn’t fancy going all the way to the other end at . From where I was I wouldn’t have seen it happen at all clearly, so I wouldn’t have taken a photograph immediately. The ball looped up off Gatting’s top edge and , Australia’s wicketkeeper, jogged to his right to take the catch, and so he is out of shot.

WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 7 From the Archive Wisden 2004 WORLD England may not be favourites when they take on Australia at the MCG on February 14, but it can’t be as bad as this CUP

The Bichel disaster

Scorecard: click here World Cup, Pool A, Australia v England, at , March 2, 2003. Australia won by two . Toss: England.

As Bichel and Bevan ran off delirious, England stood with a stand of 66 in nine overs – milking, seemingly at still. Hussain was on his knees, his head in his hands; will, a furious McGrath. In response, Ponting brought Stewart stood with his back to his team-mates: both on Bichel; half an hour later he had four for ten, would later announce their retirement from one- having found just enough seam movement to reward day matches. How had this happened? How had his accuracy. Flintoff and Stewart played sensibly, if Australia – chasing 205, in terrible trouble at 48 for slowly, adding 90 in just under 25 overs, before Bichel four, and again at 135 for eight – won with two balls returned and made sure there would be no late surge. to spare? In reply, Caddick made early incisions, but it was “Bichel” was the short answer. First, he took seven for Bichel and Bevan, with a magnificent 74, who made the 20 on a slow pitch and strangled England’s innings; then headlines. Australia had won their 12th successive one- he struck a granite-willed 34 from No. 10 to day international – a record – beating West Indies’ 11 end their fightback – and, as it turned out, their World between June 1984 and February 1985. Cup. With Australia needing 14 from two overs, Hussain Defeat was not necessarily disastrous for England threw the ball not to Caddick (9–2–35–4 at the time) – there were tortuous mathematical calculations that but Anderson (8–0–54–0). It was a hunch he later came suggested it might, in some circumstances, even help to regret: Bichel swung the second ball for six, a four their chances of reaching the Super Six. In the event, it followed, and the game was gone. It was the final twist did prove their undoing. And it was yet another chapter in a match full of them. in the 14-year saga of humiliation against their oldest England’s openers had the Barmy Army in raptures cricketing enemy.

Andy Bichel basks in the glory of a performance of all-round brilliance which sunk England at Melbourne

Tom Shaw, Getty Images

8 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 9 For the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan, the World Cup is the biggest stage of all – their chance to prove they can compete with the Test nations. Khurram Khan Benj Moorehead spoke to two men of Pakistani origin who have helped to WORLD shape the cricket of their adopted countries CUP What does it mean to you to be playing in this What were the biggest changes in Afghan ? during your tenure? For an Associate nation the World Cup is the biggest When I began, the northern areas of Afghanistan around thing that can happen to you. With the World Twenty20, the Russian border used to hate cricket but now it is a you always know that it’s around the corner and there game of the whole country – not just for right are 16 teams in the tournament so you have a very on the border of Pakistan. The game has brought the good chance of qualifying. But it’s so tough to get to the nation together. People of every culture and language are World Cup. We were always missing out on qualification playing it. I can only think of , and the way by one or two points. So this will mean a lot to me. rugby brought the nation together, as a comparison. The grounds and infrastructure in Afghanistan are now very Were you surprised that was good. There are eight or nine grounds with turf pitches chosen to replace you as captain in January? and one National Cricket Academy in Kabul. They’ve Made in Pakistan I was shocked. The selectors told me they didn’t know got their own domestic cricket up and running, which is that, when it comes to international tournaments, if lovely to see. And they’ve introduced cricket as part of the there is an Emirati who is in the team then he has to school curriculum. also lead the team. I said well, if it is the law of the country then I can’t do anything about it. It hurts What has the support been like in Afghanistan? because this is what you play for – to captain your side Even after winning the first two ICC World Cricket League at the World Cup. trophies, the players were already treated by the Afghan people as stars and the president was inviting them to dinners. I would say 75% of the people did not know what we had achieved, what it was all about, but it was enough to know they were the champion of something. When we beat the USA everyone in Afghanistan reacted as if For us it’s strange to we were the world champions of cricket. People came out onto the streets. They didn’t know how bad the USA are at cricket! The supporters who travelled to watch us used to play cricket during clap and dance when our batsmen were getting out. They had no idea whether we were losing or winning, they were daytime just too busy celebrating.

The 2019 World Cup will feature ten teams, rather than 14, although Associate nations will be able to qualify. How important is that? Could you understand the reasons for the change? It makes me sad to think why the big cricket nations I had only one issue with the decision, which I told the would be against it. In the football World Cup, even chief selector. There are some players who have been the winners have to qualify for the next tournament. playing for a very long time but they don’t bother to If the ICC want to globalise this game, why not give Pal Pillai, IDI/Getty Images , AFP/Getty Images come to practice with the UAE national team. Then equal opportunity to each and every one? Teams like suddenly they see a major big tournament coming Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland and other teams are Khurram Khan UAE Kabir Khan Afghanistan and want to be part of the team. There has to be the improving day by day and should be given a chance. same rules for everyone. Come to practice, prove your fitness, get into the team. We qualified for the World Should international teams tour Afghanistan? No one has devoted more to the cause of UAE cricket Kabir Khan was a left-arm seamer who played four Cup without Mohammad Tauqir. After that he showed I think that it would be quite possible now for an than Khurram Khan, who last November became the Tests for Pakistan in the 1990s, but he is better known his interest and he was at least coming to all the international team to play in Afghanistan. They have oldest man to score a one-day international hundred. as the coach who steered Afghanistan as the team practice sessions. had domestic tournaments with crowds of 15-20,000 Like many of his team-mates, he left Pakistan for the bolted onto the international scene. Kabir was born to and they have done it safely. I don’t think we’re too far UAE in 1997, since when he has divided his time between an Afghan father and grew up in , the border The UAE team has been criticised for being a team away from it because security is much better now. working as a flight attendant for Emirates Airlines and city where many of the current players learnt the game of expatriates from the subcontinent. What do the churning out runs for his adopted country as a left- in refugee camps. He became coach in 2008, left after a players think of that? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the team? handed opener. Now, at the age of 43, Khurram is making disagreement with the cricket board two years later, but I think it’s a little unfair to call us expatriates. I’ve been The is very good – , Shapoor his World Cup debut. The UAE’s chief selector called him returned again in 2011 to lead Afghanistan to the World living here for 18 years. My kids live here, they go to Zadran and . If Afghanistan win games “our ” in a recent statement – the same Cup, “one of the golden days in my life”. Last September school here. The UAE is my home away from home. If it will be because of their bowling. The batting was a statement that announced his replacement as captain he stood down for personal reasons, handing the reins it was any other country I would have had a passport problem at times. We struggled against left-arm spinners by another 43-year-old, Mohammad Tauqir, one of two to former batsman and New Zealand and been called a national a long time ago. But I accept Emiratis in the UAE squad, by order of the government. coach, . these are the rules of the country. The problem is that continued overleaf

10 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 11 Khurram Khan Kabir Khan Eagar’s Eye even guys born and raised here are called expatriates. mostly. Coping with bouncers was also a problem. It That’s a little tough on us. will be tough for them in Australia on quick, bouncy pitches against Test-nation bowlers. But Afghanistan’s 3 What will it mean for you to play against Pakistan in strong points are greater than their weak points. And the the World Cup? smaller teams have nothing to lose. It is something special to play against the country where you were born and brought up. But you have to Afghanistan is known for its attacking, unfettered understand that it will be a great honour for us if we cricket. What about the technical and tactical aspects can do something for sport in the UAE, where many of the game? of us have chosen to come and live. That’s what I’m I wanted to target under-17 players, and have English

looking forward to most. and Australian coaches teach them for five years. Let 1975 them learn right from the beginning so that they can Are there signs that more Emiratis are playing cricket? find it easy to adapt the way they play. But not the To be honest, there is only a minimal number of young current players. They are at that stage of their career “locals” coming through. Most have been playing cricket where their habits are cooked. Trying to change it can here for a very long time, like Mohammad Tauqir. But end up as a disaster. The new regime have tried to even for young expatriate cricketers it’s very hard. The change things over the last few months and it hasn’t rule of the country is very different for them. As soon as worked. They were beaten 3–1 by the UAE and they you turn 18 you have to have a visa or find a job. Most were bowled out for 63 against Scotland. Soon after that of the them will look to go abroad to continue their studies and that way we lose the youngsters. continued overleaf

The UAE: a short history Afghanistan: a short history

1990 2004 1995 2012 Become Associate nation. Beaten by India and Sri The Afghanistan Cricket Beaten by Pakistan Lanka in the Asia Cup. Federation is founded in their first one-day by Afghan refugees in international against a Test

1994 Pakistan. nation. Beaten by India in their 2008 first one-day international. The board announces Led by the eccentric that at least four Emirati 2001 2013 Sultan Zarawani – the cricketers must be chosen With the Taliban’s blessing Become Associate nation. only Emirati in a team of in the squad for the Asia the national team is Beat Bangladesh in the expats – the UAE win the Cup, where the UAE are formed and becomes Asia Cup – their first ICC Trophy to qualify for beaten by Bangladesh and affiliated with the ICC. victory in any format their first World Cup. Sri Lanka. against a Test nation. Qualify for the 2015

2009 World Cup. 1996 2014 After successive West Indies played Australia in a group match at The Beat the Netherlands but Qualify for the 2015 promotions from the ICC Oval before they met again later in the final. Towards lose all the rest of their World Cup. The squad World Cricket League, 2 014 the end of the West Indies innings Dennis Lillee came games in the World Cup. chosen features nine Afghanistan narrowly miss Play their first ODI back on and you thought, ‘He’ll quieten things down’. Zarawani, batting in a Pakistanis, two Sri out in the World Cup series against a Test But took him on. The last 11 balls he sunhat, is hit on the head Lankans, two Indians, and Qualifier but gain ODI nation, drawing 2–2 with faced from Lillee went 44444146.4W. The West Indian by . two Emiratis. status. Zimbabwe. crowd were yelling at Lillee, “Bowl ‘im de bouncer man!” And the more bouncers he bowled the further the ball went.

12 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 13 Khurram Khan Kabir Khan Eagar’s Eye match I called the CEO, the chairman and the captain How do you manage to balance your day job and and told them, “Look, you’ve learnt your own way of international cricket? playing, and you are good at it. You are not channel Every member of the team has a job outside of cricket bowlers, you are not batsmen who leave the ball or play 4 and we all have different working hours. I work for correctly ‘in the V’. Why not do what your best at and 1983 an airline. I often have to travel and whenever I am play your own attacking game?” available I come to practice. It’s quite hard. You finish A confession: this picture is taken by a colleague of mine called Jan Traylen. I had sent Jan off to the ‘less your day’s work and then have practice. And some of important’ game, India v Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells, and said to him, “Just get the rhododendrons in us have to travel far to get there. We always used to the background.” India were in deep trouble before Kapil Dev saved the day and they famously went on practise at night so for us it’s strange to play cricket to become champions. No one expected it. I needed player portraits for the final programme, but I didn’t during daytime. In the World Cup qualifiers in New have India. As they closed in on victory in the semi-final against England at Old Trafford, I went up to the Zealand last year we dropped two or three catches When we beat the USA everyone Indian dressing room. “Can I come in and take your photos?” “Of course Patrick, off you go”. This was in the because the guys were not catching sight of the ball in middle of the World Cup semi-final, and I march into the dressing room with my camera! At that time a daylight. So now we have started practising in the day in Afghanistan reacted as if we were photographer’s relationship with the players was a vital part of the job. as well. the world champions of cricket What has been the influence of your Pakistan coach, ? He has completely changed the way we think about the game. We used to attack with the spinners, which was effective in the UAE. But we used to get into trouble What about the next generation? outside the UAE in different conditions. Aaqib looked Afghanistan will continue to produce cricketers – but around the country and saw guys who could bowl fast. how they groom them will the key. Peshawar, the If you want to play international cricket competitively border city, produces a lot of players for Afghanistan you need to have good fast bowlers. Now we have guys cricket. There are still a lot of Afghan refugees who can bowl over 140kph (87mph). there benefitting from better coaching facilities and standards of cricket. But the political situation is Does the team get much support? changing and it doesn’t look like it will be so easy for That’s one thing we miss a lot. We don’t have any real Afghans to play across the border in Pakistan as they following. If we are playing against Afghanistan or do now. That would mean they won’t get those ready- Nepal in the UAE you will see a crowd of 5,000 – and made players. Now they need to develop their own they will all be supporting Afghanistan or Nepal! They homegrown players. It’s about the quality of cricket both have lots of expatriates living in the UAE. But we’re they will be playing. Afghanistan has 34 provinces and just happy to have crowds watching us. they all play a different standard of cricket. There is a domestic cricket structure in place – but if the players What’s the biggest difference between Test and are not being filtered properly it will be difficult. That Associate nations? should be the board’s next mission. Fitness. Most of us are working all day so our fitness training is obviously not going to be up to a How do politics and cricket mix in Afghanistan? professional level. Out of 2-3,000 youngsters playing Cricket has become a ministry in Afghanistan. When cricket in the country, I can virtually count on my there is a new president he also becomes the patron of fingers the guys who are fit enough to play at this the cricket board as well, and he brings his own team. level. Most of the Afghanistan team play cricket The problem with Afghanistan is that it is still relatively full-time, and it shows. Cricket has to become a new sport for the country. Whoever comes into power professional in the UAE. At the moment there is no will believe anybody close to them. But I don’t think guarantee that your employer will give you leave to anyone in Afghanistan is at this stage good enough to be play in the World Cup. advising the president about cricket.

How best can a team like the UAE develop? What is the next step for Afghanistan? I want Associate nations to play a lot more against the Other Associate teams have achieved the same things A-teams of the Test nations, playing more first-class but they couldn’t sustain themselves. Afghanistan need games. A couple of months ago we had a wonderful tour to concentrate on staying where they are right now. If to Australia. We went to Darwin and just to get to they don’t achieve Test status over the next ten years I know the conditions and the pitches. I’m not in favour don’t mind that. Afghanistan has not yet proved it can of just ourselves into a big international game consistently compete and sometimes achieving things is when we are not ready. much easier than maintaining that level.

14 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 15 WINNER OF THE CRICKET WRITERS’ CLUB BOOK OF THE YEAR 5 Eagar’s Eye 1983

“One of the great cricket books... as “Warm portrayal of Verity by the collects his Man of the Match award at good as cricket book literature gets” excellent Chris Waters” after Zimbabwe pulled off a shock victory against Australia in their Cricket Web Peter Hayter, Cricket Paper first-ever World Cup match. Pretty much everybody in that picture is happy – except for Fletcher! There’s also a man resembling an umpire from the 1920s who looks a bit glum. He’s actually one of the “A little gem” “An amazing story “Absorbing” “A must read” Nottinghamshire stewards. The boy on the far right is clearly an Aussie fan, and he doesn’t look too pleased. In the middle a woman is using a Independent on very well told” Cricinfo David 'Bumble' Lloyd, Kodak 110 camera, which was popular at the time. Sunday Richard Hobson, Daily Mail e Times

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WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 17 Oee Nee Eagar’s Eye Click here to read an 1992 6 extract

This is a photographer’s dream in a way. Stumps being ripped out of the ground are two a penny – but stumps being splintered? There are six or seven bits there. It was very early on in the days of stump cameras and microphones. In those days they hollowed out a proper wooden stump but now they use a pre-prepared strong fibre-glass tube that looks like wood. The Strangers Who Came Homeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee click here to buy at discount 18 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special was those 13 runs from two balls of one over. Emmett He became a representative Victorian, a father As the years pass it becomes harder to was then (very properly) rested... figure. People not particularly interested in cricket see the man for the beard. Wisden on At 262, another capital catch at – this time by found the fact of WG’s eminence looming into their Grace, edited by Jonathan Rice, draws on Hill – settled Mr. W. G. Grace for 169 – one of the very social consciousness. The Royal family (in those the Almanack’s rich reserves to recall the best innings the great batsman ever played – wonderful days too) inquired from time to time about his real WG. Here are some choice cuts as much for its powerful hitting as for that old, health – a formal request, because WG was seldom, marvellous, unrivalled skill in placing the ball out of if ever, unwell. Click here danger, for which his batting has ever been, and ever will We must not remember him as the Grand Old Man to pre-order be, famous. of his closing years. He was an athlete, a champion your copy at thrower of the , a jumper of hurdles. Yet, discount though I have seen portraits of him taken in early England v Australia, Third Test Match, at Kennington manhood, in his late teens in fact, I have never seen a ‘Ah, Oval, August 11, 12 and 13, 1884. portrait of a beardless WG. Is such a one in existence All 11 England players bowled during Australia’s first anywhere? innings and when Alfred Lyttelton, the wicketkeeper, Ranjitsinhji wrote in his Jubilee book (or C. B. Fry went on to bowl, WG took his place behind the stumps. wrote it for him) that “WG transformed the single- that 7 His old Gloucestershire friend and sometime England stringed instrument into the many-chorded lyre”, which, team-mate Billy Midwinter, was out “c Grace b Lyttelton translated, means that WG elaborated batsmanship, 30”, off the first ball of WG’s wicketkeeping stint. combined back-and-forward play for the first time, and This is yet another record for the Champion – nobody perfected the technique of placing the ball. was a else has ever taken a catch or made a stumping or When he began to play cricket, round-arm bowling run-out from his very first ball as a Test wicketkeeper. had been the fashion for some 30 years. He inherited a Jonathan Rice, 2014 technique formed from an obsolete attack and soon he was belabouring over-arm fast bowling at ease – often hit’ on rough wickets. He murdered the fastest stuff right A hand of whist appears to have marked the limit and left. of his capacity for cerebration, and if one wished He kept his left leg so close to the ball when he played to be rude to suburbia one might identify Grace as forward that an old professional of the late 1900s told suburban man incarnate, fluctuating mentally as me (long after his retirement) that “WG never let me see well as physically between the fringes of Bristol and daylight between pads and bat. Ah used to try mi best the Counties, ultimately coming to rest in to get ’im out on a good wicket, then suddenly summat Eltham. His one inherited asset was that he came ‘give’ in me, and we all knew it were hopeless.” from a clan which was dotty about a great game and From ‘Six Giants of the Wisden Century’ by Neville dutiful (but in some cases no more) about the general Cardus, Wisden 1963. practice of medicine, with no doubt in its collective mind which came first at all times and in all places. His brother E. M. Grace, who was a coroner, once had Gloucestershire v Middlesex, at Gloucester, June 9, 10, a corpse put on ice until he could attend to it at close 11 and 12, 2004. of play, and WG himself must have had one of the At 2.36pm on the sunny third afternoon, Craig most prolonged medical trainings in history because Spearman pushed through midwicket to reach the he so frequently interrupted it in order to exercise highest score in Gloucestershire’s 135-year first- his major talent at the crease. He began to study as a class history. It was two and a half years after he was bachelor of 19, and was a father of three in his thirties lured back from a planned career in the city, and before taking his final qualification at Westminster 498 minutes after his epic innings began. Along the Hospital. His most conspicuous act as a doctor is way he eclipsed two towering giants: the previous Grace in his early 30s thought to have occurred when an unfortunate record-holder was W. G. Grace (318 not out against Hulton Archive/Getty Images fieldsman impaled himself on the boundary fence at Yorkshire at Cheltenham in 1876); four balls earlier Old Trafford. Spearman had passed ’s record for the From ‘W. G. Grace: 150 years on’ by Geoffrey biggest first-class innings against Middlesex (316 not Moorhouse, Wisden 1998. out for Surrey at Lord’s in 1926). “You are talking Gentlemen v Players of England, at Lord’s, July 3, 4 and pleasure in a roar of cheers when those three figures about the father of cricket as he is known the world 5, 1876. were hoisted – cheers that were vigorously renewed over,” said Spearman, who admitted targeting Grace’s When the luncheon bell rang at 2.30, the Gentlemen’s again and again, and still again, when, shortly after, Mr. In a way he invented what we now call modern record, “so it is quite something.” Even umpire score was: One wicket down … 174 runs scored. W. G. Grace drove the first ball of an over grandly to cricket. His national renown packed cricket grounds Kitchen shared his pleasure. “Get rid of the old man,” Mr. W. G. Grace, not out 119 … Mr. Webbe, not the on past the skeleton stand for 6, and – with a terrific everywhere. He laid the foundations of he said. “He used to pick up the bails and put them out 14. smack – drove the third ball of the same over as far as economy. The sweep of his energy, his authority, and back on the stumps.” They went at it again at 12 past 3, and by 25 minutes it could go past the little chestnut trees for 7. Ah, that prowess, his personal presence, caused cricket to expand to 4 they had made the 200 with only one wicket down, 7 was a hit! The ring of it tingles in this compiler’s ears beyond a game. His bulk and stride carried cricket into Wisden on Grace is published by Bloomsbury on the delighted thousands present giving vent to their whenever he recalls it to mind. Truly wonderful hitting the highways of our national life. April 1, priced £17.99

20 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 21 7 This was the sort of thing that meant stewarding became much tougher at international grounds. Pakistan have just beaten New Zealand at Trent Bridge and their fans are desperate to grab a stump as a memento. Poor old umpire David Evans is down on the ground. Mervyn Kitchen has still got one set of stumps – and is using them to defend himself – but Evans has lost his three, one of which is disappearing to the left, and another in the hand of the 2007 grinning man running off to the right. I suppose the logical thing to do was give them the bloody stumps! Eagar’s Eye Eye Eagar’s Eagar’s Eye Eye Eagar’s had just reached a brilliant, match-winning hundred in the World Cup final, and then 1983 he turned to the TV cameras and kept waving his glove. I had no idea what he was doing. None of us 8 did. It was bizarre. But if you look carefully there is a bulge in the palm of his glove. Unbeknown to us, a coach back in Australia had suggested he put a squash ball in his left glove to that he had better control of his bottom hand, and Gilchrist had promised to prove he was using it if he scored a century in the final.

22 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 23 From the Archive Wisden 2010

Phillip Hughes burst on the scene in 2009, when he scored twin hundreds in only his second Test to help trounce South Africa. Australia’s other match-winner was , who produced the type of hostile fast bowling that seemed unthinkable in the Phillip Hughes displays the days after Hughes’ death last November. Geoffrey Dean was at Durban unorthodox batting style which brought him two hundreds at Durban in his second Test

Lee Warren, Getty Images

All guns blazing

Scorecard: click here South Africa v Australia, Second Test, at Durban, March 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 2009. Australia won by 175 runs. Toss: Australia.

A match that followed a similar pattern to the First Hughes went from 93 to 105 with successive sixes off Test ended in emphatic victory for Australia 15 Harris, reaching his hundred from 132 balls. In doing minutes before tea on the final day, giving them their so, he became the fourth-youngest Australian to make a fourth consecutive series win in South Africa. The key Test hundred. His domination of a first-wicket stand of architects of their success were Phillip Hughes and 184 in 44 overs was such that Katich’s contribution was Mitchell Johnson. The left-hander Hughes, the son of a only 59, although he did have less of the strike. Katich, banana farmer from near Macksville in northern New badly dropped when 55, went on to complete his own South Wales, became the youngest batsman to score two hundred from 177 balls, two-thirds of his runs scored hundreds in the same Test; at 20 years 98 days, he was through the off side. the rest of the series. It was the second time in three his second, which took him a further 169 deliveries. nearly six months younger than when Although Australia contrived to lose their last Tests that Johnson had inflicted a fracture on Smith, Harris, bowling into the rough outside off stump, tied he achieved the feat for West Indies against England in six wickets for just 23 in seven overs on the second whose left hand was damaged at in January. him down. Ponting, however, could not be restrained, 1929-30. morning, Johnson quickly wrecked the South African When de Villiers was beaten by a Hilfenhaus off- playing some fine attacking strokes, including a dozen Hughes’s often violent assault on some particularly top order with some devastating new-ball bowling as cutter in the sixth over, South Africa were effectively fours, in his 106-ball 81. Once past his twin-ton poor bowling on the opening morning helped he found some inswing. McKenzie, surprised by extra six for four. Kallis and Duminy put on 50 before landmark, Hughes accelerated to score his third fifty provide the springboard for Australia’s triumph. He bounce, fell to the third ball of the innings and Amla to Johnson, returning for a second spell, also forced from 65 balls. When he was finally out, sacrificing his raced to 75 out of 119 by lunch, capitalising on the the fifth, playing across a rapid full-length ball which Kallis to retire hurt, hitting him under the grille with a wicket with a declaration imminent, he had batted for generous width he was given, as well as a surfeit of pitched on middle and would have hit leg stump. In nasty bouncer. While Kallis went off for three stitches six and a quarter hours, faced 323 balls and hit 15 fours overpitched deliveries. Some of his powerful driving his second over, Johnson, hitting the deck hard at in a bloody chin wound, Boucher had his off stump and three sixes. down the ground showed he possessed more than around 90mph, extracted spiteful bounce from back of flattened by a Johnson yorker. Kallis returned when Left with 170 overs to survive, and a notional target just a devastating cut shot. Morne Morkel suffered a length and hit Smith on the top hand as he tried to Harris was fifth out, but lasted only two balls before of 546, South Africa battled hard, reaching 244 for two particularly badly, conceding six fours to Hughes in his fend off. The knuckle above his right little finger was clipping McDonald to short midwicket. The innings after 80 overs by the end of the fourth day on a pitch first two overs. broken, forcing him not just out of this match but also was beyond repair, South Africa finding themselves offering little to the pace bowlers once the ball lost 214 adrift, although Ponting again declined to enforce its hardness. The second new ball, however, brought the follow-on. He had good reasons for his decision, Australia the breakthroughs they needed. Kallis was primarily niggles that his three pace bowlers had undone by Johnson’s extra bounce, his 93 having come carried into the match, as well as the fact that so much from 175 balls, and de Villiers fell soon afterwards to time still remained. the impressive Siddle. With his seamers sore and tired, South Africa could match neither the excellence nor Ponting was grateful to his part-time spinners for the hostility of Johnson’s bowling when Australia batted mopping up, North taking a brilliant two-handed return again. Hughes galloped to his first fifty from 78 balls, catch to dismiss Boucher to atone for dropping Kallis but then showed his adaptability by grafting hard over before he had scored.

24 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 25 Eagar’s Eye 9 1979

In the 1979 final Geoff Boycott and put on 129 for no wicket chasing 280-odd – but god knows how many overs had gone by then! [38.] Even the umpire has a fed-up pose. In fairness it was against Roberts, Croft, Holding, Garner. On the other hand bowled ten overs of his little dolly drops and didn’t go for many – and you can see why here. I would like to have shown a colour shot of this but in those days you would decide whether to shoot colour or black and white, using one of two cameras, before the ball was bowled. The choice depended on many factors, especially the amount of light available.

26 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WORLD QUIZ England in World Cups CUP by Steven Lynch Answers on page 31

Which Englishman has played in three Which team, containing three Burgers, World Cup finals – and lost the lot? did England play for the only time in a full 1 6 international during the 2003 tournament? A newly devised rain-rule was used for the 1992 World Cup. (This was pre-Duckworth-Lewis.) In the semi-final Who captained England in the first World Who, at 20 in 2003, is the youngest man to between England and South Africa at Sydney there was Cup in 1975? play for England in the World Cup? an interruption right at the end of the match, when South 2 7 Africa needed 22 off 13 balls. When they came back on the scoreboard said 22 runs were needed off one ball. Who kept wicket for England throughout The moment it flashed on the scoreboard, I began When England walloped Canada in 1979, the 2007 tournament, aged 36, but never hurriedly changing lenses. I didn’t have a zoom lens back who took four for eight, and who took 8 played a Test? then. Apparently Brian McMillan, who was batting at the 3 four for 11? time and wasn’t very pleased about the revised target, has this photo in his front porch. Only nine centuries have been scored for Who kept wicket for England throughout England in the World Cup. Who made two 4 the 1983 tournament, but never won a Test 9 of them?

? Eye Eagar’s

How many of England’s team in the 1992 And who scored England’s only century 5 final were not born in England? 10 of the 2011 tournament, with 158 against 1992 India? 10

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28 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 29 NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS

room of the press gallery at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. Among the 20 guests were former chancellor of the exchequer – and Trent Doppelgänger Bridge regular – Ken Clarke, the former secretary of state for Wales John Redwood, Sir Alan “It’s not about the money, is it? It’s about Haselhurst, and Lord Morris of revenge. Revenge on a family that destroyed Handsworth, who sits on the your father, allowed him to die a penniless, ECB’s management board. Once syphilitic drunk!” The words of Sherlock dinner was over, Booth spoke to Holmes as he unravels the mystery of the the room about the impact of Hound of the Baskervilles at the end of the 2002 To pre-order the ECB’s deal with Sky on the BBC drama of Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous your copy of the Almanack at English game, and the role of tale. Holmes, played by Richard Roxburgh, just £32.50 Wisden in cricket’s fast-changing is explaining why the villain, Jack Stapleton click here world. He then took questions (Richard E Grant), wanted to murder the rest from the assembled MPs, Lords of his family (via a very large dog). As Holmes In Tendulkar’s footsteps New book and one Lady – Baroness Massey lands his judgement, the scene cuts to a sepia England’s has been These days it seems like Australian of Darwen. photograph showing a group of men on a unveiled as the cover star for cricketers turn up on our boat, zooming in to a headshot of Stapleton’s Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack shores every summer, but it was Wisden no-balled father. But hang on. One of the men is holding 2015, published on April 9. Editor something completely new back After a spell on the sidelines with a . Isn’t this the 1859 England team Lawrence Booth writes: “In a in 1878. Drunk on ignorance, the a hairline fracture in his right which toured the USA? And isn’t the man they difficult year for English cricket, British public assumed WG and tibia, we are happy to report that identify as Stapleton’s father none other than Moeen Ali was often a ray of light friends would wipe the floor. Then, ‘Wisden’ – the racehorse trained by John Wisden himself? It seems that Conan – whether taking 19 Test wickets at Lord’s, MCC were bowled out Sir Michael Stoute – is sound and Doyle’s soft spot for cricket was not lost on against India to help plug the gap for 33 and 19 during “arguably healthy after a few weeks at Brian the producers of the film. Just to add to the left by , or racing the most momentous six hours in O’Rouke’s rehabilitation yard in intrigue, Conan Doyle was born in 1859. to a 72-ball one-day hundred in cricket history”. The story of this Lambour. However, after much Colombo, the third-fastest by historical event and rest of the first discussion the decision was made With thanks to the sharp eye of Nigel an England batsman. He also Australian tour of England are told to neuter Wisden since he is not Davies. Have you spotted Wisden on TV happened to be that most elusive of in John Lazenby’s superb new book, a stallion prospect and has been, or in the movies? Please let us know: creatures – a genuine sporting role- The Strangers Who Came Home. of late, quite a handful around [email protected] model, not just for young British the yard. This will also reduce any Muslims, but for aspiring cricketers Wisden in Westminster unnecessary weight on the horse. of any nationality or religion. On Monday January 19 Wisden The operation was carried out But he would not be on the cover editor Lawrence Booth addressed successfully and Wisden was due of Wisden without his on-field the All-Party Parliamentary to return to the Wiltshire yard exploits, which he always carried Cricket Group in Moncrieffs of Malcolm Bastard as Wisden out with skill, flair and a smile.” Restaurant, the former dining EXTRA went to press.

And the winner is… QUIZ ANSWERS See page 28 To celebrate the rare five-Test series between England and India last summer, Wisden EXTRA ran a competition to win two cases of wine from our sponsors, Hardys – the official wine of 1 . 6 Namibia. English cricket. The competition was launched in Wisden EXTRA No. 12 (July 2014). Entrants 2 . 7 Jimmy Anderson ( was also 20 in were asked to correctly answer the question: who took 12 wickets in India’s maiden Test 3 Chris Old; . 2007, but 100 days older than Anderson was). victory over England? The answer was: . First prize, a full case of Hardys Wine, 4 . 8 . was won by Alison Campbell. The two runners-up each receive six bottles. They are Katarzyna 5 Six (, , , 9 (both in 2007). Piasecka and Barrie Copeland. , and Phillip 10 . All entrants had to be aged 18 or over, resident in the UK, and comply with our terms and conditions. DeFreitas; was also in the squad but The decision of the Wisden editorial team is final. A big thank you to everyone who entered. didn’t play in the final).

30 WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special WisdenEXTRA • World Cup Special 31