Dear Editor,
Bangladesh was beaten physically into submission by bodyline bowling, the likes of which would have been frowned on if used by West Indians in their heyday. The result of that first Test hardly reflected the real strength of the respective teams. New Zealand`s victory was cheap.
Immediately after Chappel made his silly comments about the relative strength of the Australia and Pakistan teams, Pakistan gave Australia a proper thrashing in a one-day match, the popularity of which format is more likely to grow than that of five-day cricket that few can afford to watch from beginning to end. And I am not being selfish. As a retiree I am more suited than most to watch an entire five-day match. (The West Indies should start giving contracts to players of all three formats and stop following traditionalists who will belittle the shorter formats that attract more fans.)
India chased down 350 in a one-day match at home that demonstrated both the attractiveness of one-day cricket, and the strength of Indian cricket, especially on their home ground.
‘Big up’ the cricket people love, to raise it to the level of cricket that people have been taught is somehow superior.
Yours faithfully,
Romain Pitt
