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Written by Jonathan Cumberbatch
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Tuesday, 25 September 2007 |
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One Day Internationals had begun in various experimental forms three seasons previously. However, it took the World Cup tournament spread briefly across England's fabled summer of 1975 to galvanize global attention. After a few thrillers, the concept was ultimately driven home with an equally fabled Final between West Indies and Australia (a DVD please someone, anyone). Played over 60 overs per side (!), both teams gave as good as they got and cricket emerged the happy winner ensuring its own relevance and a new audience through the latter twentieth century.
How timely then with buzzard discussions picking apart the underwhelming, over-commercialized WC tournament of 2007 that its two early-exit disappointments, India and Pakistan, should give the game its latest life-line with another Final game for the ages.
Unlike 1975, neither team began as favorites and this was certainly worked to the advantage of both as everyone grappled for a successful game formula (no doubt Australia has a research team on it even as I write).
Apart from the quick corrections and adjustments to tournament policies effected by the ICC in the wake of WC2007, there now lies a responsibility on all respective national boards to avoid running the new format into the ground as was done to its predecessor. This idea is already under pressure with Allen Stanford already coughing up big bucks for one-off games - international schedules be damned.
It is this opportunism that eventually soured public taste for ODIs and effective guidelines must now be implemented by the ICC prior to the upcoming 2008. If anything, it is on this matter that Mr. Speed's legacy shall be assessed.
On an aside, congratulations to India and a big-up to Pakistan for restoring pride to the hearts of its numerous fans.
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