The Hindu : Donald becomes a sitting duck

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 20, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Donald becomes a sitting duck

By Our Special Correspondent

Johannesburg Feb. 19. The big stage has left Allan Donald gasping. His reputation has been dealt a severe blow and there is reason to believe that sentiments should not play the vital role when taking decisions relating to the making of a team.

Sentiments do count. After all, sport is about passion and sentiments. But not always. There are times when one needs to take harsh decisions and the South Africans may have erred in picking Donald as the spearhead of the attack.

It was a decision driven by sentiments alone. Donald had the reputation and the experience to make a big contribution on the big stage but nothing has worked in his favour. A pity, that he was considered a liability to the side in the early stages of the tournament itself.

Donald was a key figure in the South African scheme of things and much depended on how he bowled. The fast bowler, known as `White Lightening', was a shadow of himself, struggling to beat the bat. And then he was shockingly excluded from the playing eleven against Kenya.

In the twilight of his career, Donald finds himself facing the biggest challenge of his cricketing life. The selectors were keen to have an experienced bowler in the attack to assist Shaun Pollock. There were apprehensions regarding Makhaya Ntini being able to contribute mainly because of his inexperience. Donald was seen as the link but it turned out to be a painful experience for him and his fans.

Former teammate Fannie de Villiers has been the most vocal critic of Donald and he had made his opinion known even before a ball had been bowled at the World Cup, rooting for Steve Elworthy. The argument against Donald was based on the fact that he was not at his best physically and that put pressure on the other bowlers in the team.

There was no ground for selection on the basis of just experience when it was known that Donald's ability to take wickets had dwindled in the last one season. There was no need for picking Donald, argued de Villiers, ahead of a youngster.

Another former player who also did not favour the selection of Donald was Lee Irvine. The expectations from Donald had grown because of his reputation to rattle the opposition and his failure to make an early impact meant that the South Africans had gone wrong in their assessment.

Irvine had a point when he said how lack of pace had reduced Donald to just one of the bowlers. Donald, over the years, has lost pace and it stood out so jarringly as the great bowler struggled to escape punishment even from tailenders. His reputation stood devastated but Donald was not going to succumb to the pressures. A fight was on and he accepted it in the right spirit.

In the current context, it would be interesting to look at the change in attitude of the South African selectors. It has deviated from the established tradition of picking players on form. It was different when the selectors dealt with players like Clive Rice, Peter Kirsten, Adrian Kuiper... they failed to find a place only because age was not on their side.

How times have changed. Donald wins a place only because of his experience! For a bowler known to knock back stumps and sometimes the batsman, Donald presented a pitiable sight. He did not have the speed to shake the batsman and it was obviously too late in his career to develop skills like reverse swing. "Speed was his strength and once he loses that Donald doesn't impress,'' said Irvine.

Steady decline

Where does that place Donald, especially after his dream of playing the World Cup was fulfilled by a favourable response from the selectors. He was a bowler who dominated the batsmen and rarely got the stick. A typical fast bowler who showed no mercy to even the tailenders. His decline has been steady, much to the chagrin of the team management where Shaun Pollock has been his biggest supporter.

If Donald does not command a place in the side, its speaks for the competition in the team. With Pollock backing him Donald may be enjoying support from other quarters too in the team but he remains a glowing example of how even the star players are tempted to drag their careers.

We have the example of Javagal Srinath in India but then the veteran has managed to justify his place with some crafty bowling late in his career. Srinath has looked a complete bowler — bringing in lot of variety. But Donald's woes have stemmed from the fact that speed had been his forte and he was not able to cope with the demands in front of home crowds.

Donald, to his credit, has remained committed despite the scathing criticism he has been subjected to. Being asked to bowl first change must have been shattering experience for this speedster but then it is a compromise of his own making. Obviously he must be keen to sign off on an encouraging note but Donald has to negotiate a bumpy course. Donald's case points to a lesson for many of his tribe who may well be tempted to carry on. Reputation and sentiments do not always count or help. It is indeed sad that stars want to linger rather than leave when still shining.

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