14 Monday 3rd January, 2011

fter four decades, celebrat- photo, it puts the beholder in a block - in both a physical and ed photographer time and place - thick sweaters mental sense. ‘’It’s no good say- APatrick Eagar is readying betray a faraway land’s summer ing, ‘I’m looking for the catch’, to put the lens cap on for the last chill; the starch in Greig’s and missing the batsman.’’ time. upturned collar permeates his Eagar’s archives contain half If you’ve read Wisden or enormous pads, mitten gloves and a million images from more than Cricketer magazines since the clean blade; the Australians are four decades of squinting 1970s, or flicked to the photo hairy; pitch and outfield a deep, through viewfinders around the inserts of cricket books, your seaming, sloping green; rows of world. Now 66, the ‘’godfather of view of the game will have been heads bob above the whitewashed cricket photography’’ has cap- informed by the pictures of parapets of a sightscreen like no tured the spectacular and the Patrick Eagar - from the grainy other. serene better than any. monochrome of newsprint to ‘’I think you’ve got to be as Fittingly in this age of rich, brilliant colour on glossy broad-minded as possible - it’s English celebration, Perth was pages. what’s in front of you,’’ Eagar his 100th England-Australia Test For a young boy drawn to says of the cricket photographer’s match, a catalogue that stretches cricket’s contrasts, the images conundrum of where best to take back to Old Trafford, 1972 FFaarreewweellll

‘Mr. Click-it’ Patrick Eagar ‘Mr. Click-it’ (‘’Australia had the better of a on turf as left leg is thrust seem- ‘’Ironically, this is where I came draw … I imagine there was ingly halfway down the pitch. in.’’ rain’’). Two Centenary Tests and Elbow points skyward, eyes are The strength of his work is He framed a young a couple of other one-off contests fixed on the ball beneath baggy that it records cricket’s passage. leave him a handful shy of an green cap, bat is angled such that ‘’I’ve got a lot of stuff which is and dashing David Ashes century, a shortfall that contact sends the ball to ground. probably historically important, Hookes, Rick doesn’t bother him; Eagar is Jack Russell awaits the chance because I was there,’’ Eagar says. winding down, with plans to work that never came; their evening ‘’Occasionally the photographs McCosker with his on his golf handicap. shadows accentuate an image of are OK, too. But the very fact that bandaged jaw, As England closed in on impenetrable batting perfection. you were there - like the Wednesday, he assessed the right- Waugh was making hundreds , I shot it in colour, Derek Randall doff- handed batsmen at the crease, the for fun, but the picture says more and you look back and think, I ing his cap to crowded slips cordon and posi- about his dominance than the probably shot it better than the tioned himself to capture cliched bat-raised-to-heavens ever other guys.’’ . Other England’s first lifting of the could. ‘’What’s he good at?’’ Eagar He framed a young and dash- Ashes away from home since says of images that define a bats- ing , Rick McCosker pictures of a time 1986-87. He was happy. man. ‘’I mean, what’s the shot with his bandaged jaw, Derek before the dressing Sometimes, like his shot of that actually killed the bowlers? Randall doffing his cap to Dennis ’ airborne That’s important.’’ Lillee. Other pictures of a time room door was screamer to remove Adam was a favourite before the dressing room door closed to all but the Gilchrist at Edgbaston in 2005, subject, his improvisation at the was closed to all but the chosen the waiting is rewarded. Like the crease never better captured than feature celebrating chosen feature Ian Marsh catch, Eagar says the a square-drive during the 1980 with beer and cigar, Chappell celebrat- result was exactly what he was Centenary Test, struck while fac- playing cards and smoking, a hoping for, but you can do no ing the point boundary; it’s as if spent , still wearing ing with beer and more than put yourself in the Hughes has been cut out, rotated pads and sweater, looking shell- cigar, Doug Walters right place and in the hands of clockwise 90 degrees and dropped shocked at what he has just done Lady Luck. back onto the pitch. ‘’He had to Australia. It is, of course, playing cards and His chosen media - shooting more instant imagination than Headingley 1981. for magazines and books rather almost any batsman I’ve ever ‘’There was a time over proba- smoking, a spent than newspapers - have suited his watched,’’ Eagar says. ‘’He was a bly a 20-year period where almost Ian Botham, still gentler approach. ‘’A modern pic- joy to photograph, an absolute every Test player seemed to know ture editor in a newspaper, all he joy.’’ who I was. I was lucky.’’ wearing pads and wants is a really good celebration Eagar’s late father, Desmond, Converting half a million sweater, looking photograph to put on the front or was a long-time and sec- images from 35mm film into digi- back page, the bowler with his retary of Hampshire, but Patrick tal format for his website is no shell-shocked at hands up and mouth open. You go knew his calling in the game lay overnight exercise; the craft’s what he has just to a Test match and end up with elsewhere. Working for a London digitisation has enhanced Eagar’s five days of celebration pictures, agency, he spent five months in affection for his older body of done to Australia. It but you haven’t got any narrative. Vietnam in 1966, photographing a work, although he cherishes his is, of course, What actually happened? Who British medical team at the chil- pictures from the 2005 Ashes took the catches? How?’’ dren’s hospital in Saigon. ‘’The series. Then, the breaking of Headingley 1981. Studies of great players patients weren’t all coming in for England’s drought overcame all. underscore his point. Eagar is measles and mumps, sadly.’’ ‘’I think I was almost screaming Ian Botham’s Headingley heroics in the 1981 Ashes Test after being pleased Steve Waugh likes the His cricket breakthrough at one point.’’ educated and enchanted. Rod sacked as captain and the quiet moments he spent in the dressing image of him batting at Lord’s in came with the relaxation of Eagar does not pretend he will Marsh diving full length in front room smoking a cigar still wearing pads and sweater was one of 1989. It is the second Test, exclusivity arrangements at Test ever see cricket in perfect focus. of Ian Chappell to catch Tony Patrick Eagar’s all time favourites. The fifth Ashes Test that starts England is yet to capture Waugh’s matches in 1972, a noose that is ‘’It’s a lovely game. But it’s very , and here is why: right toe again tightening and pushing him complicated - no one’s ever Greig at Headingley in the 1975 today will be the last of the renowned British photographer who grounded behind the crease, knee towards the golf course. worked it out.’’ (SMH) World Cup is not just a classic clicked cricket pictures for four decades.

Welcome to 2011 and while the “Sprinkler Dance” Dreaming is one thing, achieving it is another. It is It begs again the question of why is it no one has away from Colombo as they are a callow bunch of craze, as exhibited by the England team at the G&G doubtful if those in Beijing or Moscow, Copenhagen sat with Jayasuriya and Vaas for that matter and viewers in the island’s capital with its pretentious at the end of the fourth Ashes Test, has not caught on or Bangui, even Hanoi, have heard of Jayasuriya or given them a timeline on their careers. After all, they image. here as yet, it is time to reflect on more serious sub- recall his 1996 explosive exploits. But it is still deserve far better treatment than they have received. One of the technology plans for the CWC11 is that jects. recalled in misleading headlines as a talisman saying Neither has been honoured by the government there will be a form of UDRS (umpires decision refer- First, Yahaluweni, there is this question of selec- that Sri Lanka will win the next World Cup. All appointed Interim Committee for their years of hon- ral system) will be in place. It was trialled in a sense tion policy for this year’s World Cup; followed by the heady stuff; dangerous too. ourable service to the game. in 2002 at the Champions Trophy and was used again over-hyped image of the so-called “Final Frontier”, Just as Lord’s and left-arm seamer Alan Mullally That particular committee has been far too both- in 2004, 2006 and in South Africa in 2009. then there is something emerging called the X-Factor. ered by trying how best to improve their own sorry Anyone watching Tests to those in As all this comes across as meaningless media South Africa where India are now involved would see jargon, it has that formulaic sameness about it which the major difference in how the referrals and deci- is a tad boring. Just as on this island, equally mixed How Sanath’s retirement story has sions are made. Few have been overturned against signals are being tossed about for which no one is the umpire, there is though a major snag in the sys- accepting responsibility. tem. It is limited to two appeals, after that if a bats- Even taking ownership of a particular pro- been botched and UDRS issues . . . man feels the umpire has made an error then too bad, gramme designed to improve facilities for the World the number of appeals have been exhausted. Cup, so close you can almost hear expectant buzz of Graeme Smith, the South African captain, howev- the spectators, remains dodged in controversy. er, has a point that it is time the International So imagine the contradiction when it is said by Cricket Council took responsibility for the handling those running Sri Lanka Cricket, aka the govern- Selection of the UDRS. His argument of allowing teams to opt ment enclave in Maitland Place, how the national out of using the system is a fair one. India have done selectors are not to consider the form of those play- so since it was first trialled in the 2008 Test series in ing in the limited overs Premier League for the World the island. Despite it favouring Sri Lanka, the Cup. This being the case, why are those in the squad riddles tourists should have appreciated there were always bothering to play in the league unless it is to retain a going to be teething problems. semblance of form? Since then, India have camouflaged that 2-1 series Sanath Jayasuriya, aka the Matara Mauler, equally exploded the myth on a defeat with now clichéd comment that they feel the among other candidates, is hoping to attract atten- The Chesterfield Files murky, misty morning in 1999. technology is not yet foolproof. That is such an easy tion of the Aravinda de Silva selection panel as they It was a matter of placing too Sanath cop-out. An excuse which explains they would rather mull the names to include the 2011 World Cup squad. much faith in a team that Jayasuriya have bad decisions against them (does anyone This mind you is 15 years after he set the benchmark many locals described as remember some of those woebegone decisions in the for the fifty overs format in CWC96. invincible. Neither Chaminda Tests against Australia and New Zealand), than fair It has been suggested that the announcement of Vaas nor Muttiah the side is on Wednesday. If so, what have those in Muralitharan’s bowling could ones. Maitland Place been saying is against the tenant resuscitate the corpse of that Opinion within the Indian camp on UDRS is made by Aravinda de Silva when he took ownership game as England won by eight image. This mind you is under the harsh scrutiny of divided. Vangipurappu Laxman has long been an of the selection panel in May last year. He said he . the public which has no confidence in their handling advocate for its use and so has, quietly, Rahul Dravid. would not tolerate interference. Now the nefarious No nightmare this; it was of the affairs of the one recognised international For some reason, India try to hide behind the tech- coterie in that den of false imagery is trying to force cold reality on a grey day, and sport the island has. They are appointed, not elected nology excuse and not for the first time last year, did their wishes on the panel. after having to listen to Tony and this is the difference. Smith wonder just what is India’s case. In trying to prove a point, Jayasuriya scored well Blair, aka ‘Blah Tony’ giving Anyway, in Jayasuriya’s case, it is coming up to 21 In Durban there was more than one palpably bad against a near international bowling attack at his best Lord Haw Haw imita- years and in most corporate businesses, a formal decision. The AB de Villiers lbw verdict was an Sinhalese Sports Club for his Bloomfield side in a dis- by Trevor Chesterfield tion. It showed how these days, recognition for such service is recognised with a example of how use of the system would have shown play that showed why the term Matara Mauler can no team is invincible. reward. He was after all placed in a position of trust how Steve Davis erred; possibly that against Mark still be an exciting brand name. Some months ago, when as captain of the side that revived Sri Lanka’s for- Boucher as well. Similarly, Zaheer Khan escaped as Now, pause for a moment. He is still playing for the Asantha de Mel selection panel were dithering tunes after that mauling in the 1999 World Cup in he was found in front but Davis ruled in favour of the Bloomfield after all these years, which in a sense and politics were also playing nasty rigged roulette England. batsman. explains the sort of loyalty that deserves recognition. games with policy, the views expressed in these files He re-established as well under Dav Whatmore’s It is time the ICC did take ownership of the sys- Why, year in year out, players transfer between teams were how someone should find out from the two sen- tenure as coach an attacking policy, although it didn’t tem and enforce it, as all other countries prefer it is as regular as dining on egg hoppers for breakfast, iors and veterans what they were hoping to achieve. often work. Few though who were at Galle in August where possible, although Pakistan couldn’t afford it or hoppers for that matter. No one, it seems did. 2000 would forget his pre-lunch day one onslaught on against South Africa. Past views expressed in these files have suggested After Sri Lanka’s disastrous ICC World T20 tour- the South Africans. Falling so short of a century "The ICC needs to lead the way when it comes to it is time for the swashbuckling lefthander to move nament in the Caribbean, where Jayasuriya also before lunch and joining an elite list of Test batsmen. the review system," Smith said in Durban."They can't on into the role he has been elected to play by his failed, de Mel’s panel was summarily “executed” as it So far this year, Sri Lanka have done well in their just let the boards decide and negotiate it. Using the Matara constituents. Only, like the heavyweight were, for their bungling of affairs that led to the quest for a developed limited overs identity while review once every seven series or so is not going to boxer aiming for one more shot at the title, he is impasse over the selection of such veterans as their Test form has been shaky at best and post help anybody. It needs to be enforced in all series." clinging to the hope that he has the ability to walk Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas. This left an embar- CWC11, we can look forward to genuine cricket With that thought, a blessed New Year and suc- out in the final of CWC11 at Wankhede Stadium, rassing cleft stick style operation for de Silva’s panel played in whites and not the slogs under lights in cess in 2011. Mumbai, April 2. to handle and so far they have done what they can in coloured clothing. (email: [email protected]) As jingoistic as it may seem, anything is possible. handling a poisonous political maze. Hopefully as well, the Tests will all be played