Those Belittling Stanford 20/20 Ads
Mon, Jun 5, '06
I was relieved not to see those pathetic commercials for the Stanford 20/20 Tournament on Friday during the first Test match in Antigua.
During the One-Day series, they were the saddest things to behold. You couldn't help cringing at the sight of our cricket legends fading to mere Stanford echoes. It was appalling to see them so reduced.
It was appalling to see how poorly Allen Stanford had measured their stature. It was appalling to think that anyone could have conceptualised this immeasurably foolish advertisement. It was appalling to be subjected to it at next to every break.
Perhaps the absence of the ads on Friday means that there was some rethinking, influenced maybe by the Barbados Nation's editorial comment on the issue. But it should not have come to that. Even if some insensitive clod had come up with the idea, didn't anyone see how offensive it was before it was aired?
It invoked such a rancid taste that it soured Stanford's status and did grave injustice to both the tournament and the aura of respect for the cricketers that the rest of their advertising campaign had sensibly focused on. Hopefully, we will never lay eyes on that again, and can settle down to watch the Tests between India and West Indies without such painful distractions.
After the entertainment of the One-Day series, where so many new wares were on display from both teams that one was at least stimulated to study the players afresh, the current series should encourage more interest than West Indies cricket has mustered in recent times.
For Rahul Dravid, the epitome of correctness and discipline, the loss of the ODI series after a long spell of wins would have shaken him enough to see him review his strategies for the Tests. Carrying a batting line that fired in contemporary West Indian fashion, the burden of captaincy in the Caribbean has taken its own toll on him.
The arrival of V.V.S. Laxman may lend some steadiness but he clearly needs to settle in. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a big hitter out of the Dwayne Smith cupboard and lifts the excitement level whenever he comes to the crease and will add to the drama. The batsmen are talented but play as we have grown accustomed to seeing our batsmen do. They're promising without delivering consistently.
While it has been good to celebrate West Indian victories again, we shouldn't go careening down the track buoyed up by too much excitement that we have arrived. True, with Brian Lara back at the helm, captaincy has looked sparkling again, and there is something of a palpable team spirit. But we can't overlook the inconsistency of the bowling. Corey Collymore and Dwayne Bravo look good, but the others seem to have trouble with control. The fielding is good only in bursts and too many catches are dropped, while the stumps continue to be elusive targets.
The batting is building, but with the arrival of Anil Kumble there are sure to be some challenges, despite the inexperience of the other bowlers. The rotations have been useful for gaining experience and allowing us to see some of the potentials.
However this series unfolds, I have decided that I am not going to set myself up with too many unwarranted hopes. One cannot underestimate Dravid or the capacity to regroup after their surprise loss. Neither can one ignore the impetus and motivation that the ODI victory has given to the West Indies team. The surprise was the competitive spirit we showed right down to the wire in each match.
To me that was the most encouraging sign. The team took the fight to the end, didn't hang their heads and leave their shoulders drooping behind them. We hadn't seen that since that gloomy evening brightened by the tenacity of Bradshaw and Browne. We won a trophy then. If we keep the spirit of the fight going throughout this rejuvenated series, we could do it again.
* This column is republished with permission from the NATION newspaper in Barbados where it first appeared.