Evolved as part of the International Cricket Council’s globalisationscheme, the ICC Champions Trophy – or the mini World Cup – has provedto be a resounding success both from the financial and cricketingviewpoints
Partab Ramchand12-Sep-2002Evolved as part of the International Cricket Council’s globalisationscheme, the ICC Champions Trophy – or the mini World Cup – has provedto be a resounding success both from the financial and cricketingviewpoints. In importance, it ranks next only to the World Cup and isstaged every two years. Indeed, the unique feature of the tournamentin the inaugural year was the fact that only the nine Test-playingnations participated, and that meant it represented the apotheosis ofthe game in every respect.When the idea for such a competition was first mooted, there wasserious talk of Disney World in Florida hosting the event. ThenSharjah seemed to be emerging as a candidate before the tournament wasfinally held in Dhaka from October 24 to November 1, 1998. Theattractive catch-phrase associated with the tournament underscored itspulsating format: “Nine teams, eight matches, one chance.” Indeed,with the event being held on a knock-out basis, there were no secondopportunities for the contestants. One bad match and even the mostheavily fancied side could be out of the tournament.The pattern for the exciting fare during the week was set in theopening match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Replying to Zimbabwe’s258 for seven in 50 overs, New Zealand were always behind on the runrate and required 40 runs with just three overs left. Chris Harris,then, launched a ferocious assault on Neil Johnson and 18 runs cameoff the 48th over. Off the last over, New Zealand needed 12 runs andthey got to the last ball wanting three. Harris emerged the hero,hitting the ball to the extra cover boundary, and New Zealand won byfive wickets in the narrowest manner possible.The quarter-finals were not without surprises, the biggest beingIndia’s 44-run win over Australia. Not surprisingly, Sachin Tendulkarwas the architect of the unexpected victory. First, he tore the attackapart to score 141 off 128 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. Aftertwo wickets had fallen for eight runs, Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (48)added 140 runs for the third wicket. This was followed by a 132-runfourth-wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Ajay Jadeja (71). WhenAustralia made a gallant bid to challenge India’s imposing total of307 for eight in 50 overs, Tendulkar, with his mixture of leg-breaksand off-breaks, finished with four wickets for 38. The match also sawIndian captain Mohammad Azharuddin become the first to play 300 oneday internationals, even if he was out for a third-ball duck.A comparatively minor surprise was the West Indies’ 30-run victoryover Pakistan. Opener Philo Wallace’s blistering 79 off 58 balls andhis second-wicket partnership of 109 runs with Shivnarine Chanderpaul(49) paved the way for West Indies’ challenging total of 289 for ninein 50 overs. Against four spinners, an unlikely attack for the WestIndies to possess, Pakistan were restricted to 259 for nine in 50overs.South Africa were always expected to get the better of England, who,preparing for the sterner Ashes battle in Australia, sent a team thathad a Second XI look. Under the circumstances, even a total of 281 forseven in 50 overs was not enough to avoid defeat. Skipper AdamHollioake top-scored with an unbeaten 83, but South Africa, withbreezy knocks from Darryl Cullinan (69), Jonty Rhodes (61 not out) andskipper Hansie Cronje (67), coasted home with six wickets and 3.2overs to spare.The match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka had the looks of being ascorcher, but their heroics against Zimbabwe seemed to have left theKiwis exhausted. When they were all out for 188 in 49.5 overs, theywere always going to be up against it. To their credit, they had theLankans at five for three with Sanath Jayasuriya out for a first-ballduck. But skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (90 not out) brought all his vastexperience into play, and Sri Lanka were home by five wickets in 41.3overs.In the semi-finals, South Africa were expected to get the better ofSri Lanka, while few bold predictions were being made regarding theoutcome of the India-West Indies tie. South Africa did make it to thetitle round, but they needed the Duckworth-Lewis method to do so. Thefirst rainy day of the tournament meant that the game was delayed bytwo hours, becoming a 39-over match. A further five overs were laterlopped off the Sri Lankan innings, revising their target to 224 in 34after South Africa had led off with 240 for seven thanks to JacquesKallis’ unbeaten 113 off 100 balls with five sixes. The Lankan batsmenlooked out of sorts, lost wickets too quickly, and were all out for132 in 23.4 overs to leave South Africa winners by the comfortablemargin of 92 runs.Against all expectations, the other semi-final too ended in a ratherlop-sided result, with the West Indies winning by six wickets andthree overs to spare. India were always going to be up against itafter they lost Tendulkar and Azharuddin with only 21 runs scored,both batsmen falling to Mervyn Dillon. Though Sourav Ganguly (83) andRobin Singh (73 not out) raised the total to 242 for six in 50 overs,the West Indies encountered little difficulty in achieving theirtarget. In a reversal of roles, Chanderpaul hit a stroke-filled 74,while skipper Brian Lara, playing with restraint, got an unbeaten 60.Despite another tight bowling spell from Tendulkar (two for 29 fromten overs), Lara and Keith Arthurton (40) steered their side home withan unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 89 runs.Living up to the pre-match tag of favourites, South Africa duly wonthe trophy, defeating the West Indies by four wickets and three oversto spare. An electrifying 103 by opener Philo Wallace and a score of180 for three gave the West Indies hopes of raising an imposing total,but Kallis (5 for 30) ripped through the middle and late order. TheWest Indies were dismissed for 245 in the last over. There was aglimmer of hope for them when South Africa were 137 for five, butCronje stood firm with an unbeaten 61 and got his team home. A fewminutes later the beaming South African captain was receiving thetrophy from the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.