29 September,2021 07:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Ian Chappell
Policemen stand near empty stands of the Rawalpindi Stadium on September 17 after New Zealand called off the tour. Pic/AFP
In the comedians case it was the heavyweight Hardy accusing his bumbling partner Laurel of yet another blunder. Cricket only has itself to blame for a bloated, unworkable schedule that the Covid pandemic has blown up like a left-over land mine.
First, there was England's withdrawal from a December 2020 ODI series in South Africa following a Covid outbreak. The pace of scheduling breakdowns has picked up recently with India's refusal to play the last Test in the five match series against England.
That was followed in quick succession by New Zealand's last-minute withdrawal from a T20 series with Pakistan, which prompted England to cancel it's proposed men's and women's tour of that country.
There's no doubt that completing cricket tours unhindered in a Covid pandemic is a precarious business. Just surviving from day-to-day is an accomplishment in the current climate. Nevertheless, the treatment meted out to Pakistan in particular appears to be excessively harsh considering the way they've unselfishly toured in order to ensure the financial burdens of others were reduced during the pandemic.
Pakistan have now learned a lesson about the game that former England captain and accomplished broadcaster Tony Lewis so eloquently expounded on air.
After a particularly strenuous overseas winter bonding session, the England team quickly found itself in trouble after the loss of early wickets in the first Test of the summer. "Ah that's better," chanted Lewis, "now the England players will understand the reality of the situation; it's every man for himself."
In the modern cricket parlance it's more correct to say: "It's every man and woman for them self."
This is especially so in the lamentable case of Afghanistan where the dreaded Taliban have decreed female sport is a no-no. This will more than likely result in the Afghanistan men's team having it's first Test with Australia cancelled and the likelihood of their ultimate removal from the status of Test playing nation. An international schedule that has lately flourished like a mushroom in the dark is now resembling a block of Jarlsberg cheese with its trademark holes.
The situation could reach a critical point when the England players are presented with the restrictions that will more than likely apply during their Ashes tour of Australia. Confronted with a choice between a severely diminished Ashes series or a hastily arranged replacement tour, Australia might feel sympathy for what other countries like Pakistan have experienced.
Could this possibly bring one of the âBig Three' to a crisis meeting of the ICC with a feeling of empathy for the plight of lesser nations?
Only an eternal optimist would answer yes to that question.
Nevertheless, that is what is needed - some sympathy - in the light of the constant Covid disruptions to the international calendar.
From cricket's point of view, the only good that could come from the pandemic is a thorough re-evaluation of the schedule.
However, that would require the cricket countries to come together in good faith with a view to making decisions in the best interests of the game.
As we've seen over the years and particularly in more recent times, the likelihood of this happening is about the same as Donald Trump displaying humility.
In the early 2000's when the game's administrators followed the golden rainbow and discovered the IPL at the end, they unwittingly transferred enormous power into the hands of the players.
There's no better time for the administrators to call in that âfavour' and work with the players to map out a better and more equitable future for the game.
If that situation were to eventuate and the result is a workable schedule that accommodates all, then cricket will have the pandemic to thank for helping extract itself from a nice mess of its own making.
