Aussie-Pakistan Tie Abandoned

Javed Akhtar, Arab News

AMSTELVEEN, 26 August 2004 — World champs Australia qualified to meet Pakistan in the final of the Videocon Cup tri-series cricket tournament as their last league match with the Pakistanis was washed out without a ball being bowled. The teams shared the six points for the match with Pakistan ending at the top of the league table with nine points from two matches. Australia were second with six points and India finished last with three points. Unusual heavy overnight rains which continued yesterday morning had caused puddles at the VRA Cricket Ground and the teams did not even bother to leave their hotel and the match was called off. An attempt was made to revive the tournament badly hit by rains and team management members from the participating countries were involved in a long-drawn meeting which lasted for several hours to see if the match could be played today as today and tomorrow are rest days in the competition. As mediamen waited patiently, the representatives discussed and debated various aspects and possibilities. However, media in-charge Hugo Nelissen had a long face as he announced that there was no change in the schedule and status quo remained. Hence Australia and Pakistan will meet in the final on Saturday. “There were at least three reasons for not scheduling a rematch. One of them was the groundsman’s inability to get the ground ready for the match,” Nelissen told newsmen. “Also, there was the logistics problems. A lot of people have their plane reservations which would not be possible to change at the last minute,” he added. And finally he said the teams had tried to help the Dutch board by agreeing to salvage the tournament in whatever way they could but it did not work out to everybody’s satisfaction. Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer said it was sad that the event had been so badly hit by the weather. “We were looking forward to some good matches in this competition but it is sad that rains have caused such havoc,” Woolmer said. He said his team was looking for the chance to get some good practice but the weather spoilt all their plans. Australian coach John Buchanan voiced similar sentiments. “Yes, we are disappointed that the weather has so badly affected this tournament. Our bowlers were raring to have a go at the opponents but now they have to wait till the final to get that chance. We only hope that the weather improves by Saturday,” Buchanan said. “This is the height of summer here in Holland and in the whole of last decade we have had very fine weather. That is why we scheduled the tournament at this time,” Nelissen later told me after the news conference. The weather forecast is not good for the next few days and it will be truly tragic if the last match of the tournament also becomes a victim of the rains.