It's so far so good (9 June 1999)

9 June 1999

It's so far so good

Nizamuddin Ahmed in Manchester

OLD TRAFFORD, June 8: There were police everywhere. This was England's biggest security operation for an international match, including football.

The India-Pakistan match here also called for the highest number of security personnel to be drafted in for a match between two countries.

That, however, did not stop touts from selling tickets in the black-market. Although the police chief in Manchester announced that 'stopping ticket touts was part of his security plans,' buying and selling continued at two times the face value within yards of the anxious security staff.

The match began under conditions that were cold, windy and generally unpleasant. But the 22,000 crowd, divided though they were in other aspects, were unanimous in their love for the game and were thankful that the match was played at all considering the heavy rains over the past two days.

The mixed crowd of India or Pakistan bias could not be segregated as tickets were randomly sold prior to anybody having the knowledge that the two not-so-friendly neighbours would meet in the World Cup at this venue and in this match. That also had its silver lining, with Pakistani and Indian supporters, most likely British citizens in disguise, waving their own flags amidst each other.

They were noisy too, but not as acoustically insane as in Sharjah. Or, as some maintain unfortunately, at Dhaka. It was amazing how the entire stadium transformed into a sea of green and white at the sign of any Indian debacle.

Conversely, the whole lot seemed to wave in addition a blaze of saffron to celebrate any Indian glory. This was when India were batting after winning the toss. If there were any English cricket fans in the crowd who came to watch a simulation of the Kashmir clashes, they were characteristically quiet. It was just as well that Mohammad Azharuddin decided to make Pakistan field on an outfield that was soggy and slippery from overnight rain.

Perhaps he also did his homework well. For this was the ground where Lancashire, the hosts, scored 372 for five against Gloucestershire in the 1990 NatWest trophy. Home to Lancashire since 1857, Viv Richards scored his unbeaten 189 against England in a 1984 ODI series on this wicket.

Inzimam-ul-Haq overcame his bruised finger and Ijaz Ahmed his disturbing ankle, injured against South Africa last Saturday, to maintain their place in the team. Wajahatullah Wasti and Yousuf Youhana, nursing hamstring injury, made room for Salim Malik and Shahid Afridi, as Pakistan made two changes from their losing line-up against Cronjie and Co.

Saurav Ganguly sprained his ankle at the nets and, after failing a fitness test this morning, he vacated his place for Sadagopan Ramesh.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)