NEW DELHI, India, Nov. 1, After 24 matches in three ‘Weeks to decide the four World Cup Cricket semifinals, just three more ‘games remain in the next seven days 10 bring the tournament tits conclusion,
The paths to the semifinals proved {00 full of pitfalls for some, notably Vivian Richards’ West Indian team, while for Pakistan, in particular, the route was a broad highway lined with cheering crowds.
Pakistan will now play Australia in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday while the next day in Bombay’s ‘Wankede Stadium defending champions India will take on England,
“The odds are stacked heavily against the two visiting teams, but in the one-day game the difference between success and failure can be one lucky run out, one lucky blow.
Take the case of West Indies. Three balls to go in their first match against Pakistan, the home side still needing 10 runs to win and the last pair together.
Courtney Walsh bowls to Abdul Qadir who backs away from the stumps, swings as much in hope as expectation and the ball disappears ‘over the long off boundary. It was a shot by a tail-ender that probably had a one in 1O chance of success; Two balls after Pakistan had won by one wicket.
Or the case of New Zealand, locked in a close contest with Australia in Chandigarh, John Wright drives straight, bowler Steve Waugh flings! out an arm and New Zealand’s champion batsman Martin Crowe, at the non-striker’s end, is run out by a cruel deflection off Waugh’s fingertips in the final analysis, though, the four teams that most deserved to reach the semifinals did so. Former champions West Indies are in decline. On the slow pitches of the Indian subcontinent, their fast bowlers lacked penetration and often sacrificed accuracy in striving for extra pace. The 22 wides they bowled against England in Jaipur not only represented that many free runs to the ‘opposition, but also meant nearly four extra overs.
Nor is the West Indian batting as strong as it was. After Richards at number four, there is no one who can be looked upon with any certainty to make runs, Gus Logie has failed to mature into the top-class cricketer that at one time seemed likely and Carl Hooper lacks experience,
Richards remains optimistic about the team’s future. “Realize that have a difficult task on hand,” he said. “It involves rebuilding the West Indies side and I am not one to shy away from challenges even at the cost of defeat, I know we have the capabilities… and given 4 little more seasoning, things should come right for the West Indies.
Richards said he expected either Pakistan or England, the semifinal qualifiers from West Indies’ section, to win the trophy in Calcutta on November 8. “I never want to gamble or make predictions about how things will go”, he said in a television interview. “But 1 do know that we have been in a very tough group and there is no other team which can win but the ‘one from group B”.
Of the four semifinalists. Pakistan can probably make the strongest case to be regarded as favorites.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 6, 1987
