India notebook - ICC compromise formula at work

The International Cricket Conference appears to have, for the time being, found a way to sort out the issue raised by Pakistan on its cricketing relations with India. According to a report in a leading Pakistan newspaper last week both India and Pakistan have been given the option to reschedule their matches with other countries in the event of a cancellation due to political reasons.

Pakistan , it may be recalled , had taken strong objections to India cancelling its scheduled tour of the country, citing "Kargil" and other contentious issues as reasons in the recent winter. Pakistan according reports suffered heavy financial losses because of India failing to honour its commitment. The issue had been referred to the ICC.

The ICC had then reportedly pondered over the continuing problem between the two countries and had come out with the alternate solution while chalking out the ten-year calendar. The calendar which was adopted at the executive board meeting of ICC in Melbourne last month ensures that all the ten Test playing countries play each other at home and away once every five years. As per the ICC programme India and Pakistan are scheduled to play four series with each other in the next ten years.

The paper in Pakistan quoted Mr. Chris Doig, the outgoing Chief executive of New Zealand Cricket Council and the brains behind ICC's ten-year calendar, as saying that both the Indian and Pakistan Boards have been provided with a list of countries who would be free of any international commitments during that time and would be willing to play them.

The compromise solution offered by ICC is in itself a great achievement and should go a long way in satisfying Pakistan. But the bigger question is that while Pakistan has been more than willing to tour India, it has not been able to ensure a return visit.

And no compromise proposal made by ICC can make up the financial loss suffered by the host team in the event of a tour falling through. An India-Pakistan match builds up an ethos all its own and the stadiums are generally packed, irrespective of whether the public is knowledgeable about the game or not.

It must be understood that only an India-Pakistan tie will fill a big stadium in the sub-continent. A contest with another team may not attract as big a crowd. Pakistan's main grouse is that India made a big "killing" when it toured the country two years ago but denied Pakistan from earning as much by cancelling the tour when the time came for India to honour its commitment.

It is not just a matter of another cricket match. It is far more important than that. It is a question of an India-Pakistan match on the field of cricket and that too in the respective countries. Not outside. The ICCs compromise formula may not be all that acceptable in the long run.

Rafting has become an increasingly popular sport among Indians. On show this year, this week, is a special event, on near Rishikesh in the lofty Himalayas.

Taking a break from the traditional format the organisers of the present event have introduced four new disciplines labelled raftathon: flying slalom, aquadash and rafter-cross to make it more viewer-friendly.

Team Australia and team USA appear to be the favourites because of their known credential in such adventure sport.

John Jacoby who captains the Australian team, can boast of having won the Eco-Challenge, one of the toughest adventure races of the world.

India have five teams in the competition. Four Square team has Sujeet Sabnis, Nikhilendra Singh, Dhruv Naresh and Flt. Lt. Parindhi Singh. The other four are Punjab Police A, Punjab Police B, BSF and ITBP. The competitors in these teams may not be as experienced but they have the advantage of having competed on familiar terrain. Peter Hutton, joint managing director IMG(TWI(South Asia) who is the event manager is hopeful of making this event a part of the world adventure sports circuit.

A special guest
The National Stadium, venue of the first Asian Games in Delhi, was host to a very special guest last week. On a holiday from the U.S., where he has been staying for the last forty years, Ranbir Singh was back home and in his favourite stadium.

Speaking to old friends, fellow athletes and coaches, Ranbir who was India's first national athletics coach, went on a nostalgic trip and dwelt at length on Milkha Singh, the ace Indian athlete of the 60s. Ranbir was on a solid ground on this subject. He had been Milkhas coach during the very important period, from 1957 to 1960.

He extolled the virtues of the "flying Sikh" and revealed an hitherto unknown aspect of the great athlete. After his fourth place in the 400 metres final at Rome, Milkha was made to run, in a trial meet, in the 800 metres." He clocked 1:50.0. If he had run for another three months, he could have come around 1:46.0, the time which was being returned by most of the world class runners those years. Ranbir's purpose in Delhi was to offer an athletics scholarship to a promising sportsman in Michigan University, where he is employed. He has set aside Rs100,000 for that purpose.