Bad losers Brits behaving differently now

Thursday, January 19, 2012 - BRITS are bad losers, like Indians, but this time they have behaved somewhat differently. Their colonial mindset was reflected In the rather unkind cut from Bob Willis, the former England Captain. He perhaps wanted to ignite yet another controversy, undermining Saeed Ajmal’s sterling performance in the first of the three cricket Tests, on since yesterday in Dubai. But his prejudice against a non-Englishman was nipped in the bud by England player Mat Prior, top scoring on Tuesday in the first innings.

He was not alone in praising the Pakistani performance, The Telegraph, London, too, took Willis to task and lauded Ajmal for his 7 for 55. Because of the gracious response from responsible English media this time( although the Mail and one or two more of the tabloid newspapers tried to fan racist sentiments), the situation was saved from being ugly this time.

Saeed Ajmal was cleared through 3-D examination in Australia, and on Wednesday, the ICC chief executive Haroon Logart also contemptuously turned down attempts to spread racism.Willis comments on Sky Sports on Tuesday, was nothing new. Every time Pakistan plays against England, whether on Pakistani or English soil, a deliberate and calculated attempt is made to generate controversies about Pakistani team and its players.

Indians too have been victims of similar conspiracies. Why does the British media try to generate unnecessary controversies may appear intriguing to many, but for journalists and those involved with such bilateral series, are too well aware of their designs. The Brits do it purposely—to demoralize the rival sides. They conveniently tend to forget that colonial rule was over 65 years ago. India, Pakistan are now sovereign nations, nor more under British “raj’.

Any more attempt at blowing hot or cold, may sour the entire series, which is least desireable, for games are played to promote international goodwill and brings people of different areas and cultures together.

The current series too aims at that. Luckily except for a few perverted individuals, most of the English writers and commentators are happy and enthusiastic about the current contest. They have Ajmal’s brilliance to skittle the England batsmen out, allowing his side to take a 96-run lead till the closure of the second day’s play in Dubai.

Hafeez and Taufeeq Omar, resuming at overnight 42 for no loss, laid a solid foundation of 114 runs with their opening wicket partnership. Hafeez added to his record yet another glorious knock of 88.Skipper MIsbhul Haq, and Taufeeq with their half centuries consolidated their side’s position, and then Adnan Akmal with his superb stroke making to anything pithched well upto him, is still on the crease.

Pakistan was 288 for 7 at stumps on the second day. Their performance was good in the pre-lunch session when 94 runs were added in 120 minutes of play. But between lunch and tea, and after the tea interval till the end, the run rate was slow.

Pakistanis were cautious and waited for time to give the side as much lead as possible. But then English bowlers too were responsible for that. Instead of looking wickets, they applied the philosophy of containment, pitching short or wide outside the off stump. They knew that the wicket is slow, and not suited to their kind of bowling, and therefore concentrated on restricting the lead to as little as possible.Nothing wrong with that. All part of the game. Pakistanis too are not to be blamed. The Dubai surface is slow, and stroke making is difficult on that. The match is now poised for the kind of excitement which the cricket lovers like to see.