Whilst the West Indies were reverting to familiar ways (pre the last six months) last week Sunday, collapsing for under 200 like a set of bowling pins for the fourth time in as many innings in the Second Test against South Africa, in St. Lucia, en route in sliding to a two-nil series sweep, the World Test Championship (WTC) Final was taking centre stage at the Ageas Bowl, in Southampton, England.
Almost simultaneously, also the fourth day of the WTC Final, the match appeared destined to peter out into a tame draw, as the unpredictable English weather wreaked havoc. With the entire first day lost, only 64.4 overs were delivered the next day with India cantering to 146 for the loss of three wickets as bad light stopped play early. With further rain and more bad light interrupting play on the third day, India were dismissed for the relatively low score of 217, as New Zealand crawled to 101 for two wickets from 49 overs. The entire fourth day was lost to the inclement conditions (the cricketing gods were oblivious of the plight of the West Indies who were in the process of surrendering at that time) and disappointed international cricket fans resigned themselves to the fact that the inaugural WTC was going to be shared by the finalists.
With the commencement of the fifth day’s play delayed by rain, television viewers must have lost all hope of any further action, but they know very well how equally fickle both the English weather and the game of cricket can be. At the close of the scheduled final day, the slim possibility of a result in favour of either side had begun to emerge at the end of the rainbow. New Zealand had eked out a slight 32-run first innings advantage, mainly due to Skipper Kane Williamson (49) and the wagging tail after being 135 for five at lunch. India were critically poised on 64 for two, with their Captain and leading batsman, Virat Kohli, and Cheteshwar Pujara, at the crease.
As the reserve sixth day commenced, with 89 overs stipulated by the ICC regardless of over rate, weather permitting of course, the two-headed question was whether India could score quickly to present a challenging total and put New Zealand under enough pressure that they might succumb to the world’s most potent spin attack, or could the Kiwis snatch eight wickets and knock off a low total to win the match? Armed with the world’s best artillery of seam bowlers, New Zealand relentlessly set about claiming those wickets, in spite of being given a 27 percent chance of winning the game. Within an hour both overnight batsmen were back in the pavilion as the Kiwi bowlers executed well-conceived plans to apply intense pressure to India’s batting lineup. In dire straits at lunch at 135 for five, India succumbed for 170, shortly before tea, leaving New Zealand the tricky task of scoring 139 in 53 overs in difficult batting conditions.
At 44 for two, India had cracked the door for a possible New Zealand collapse and the improbable chance of carting off the champions mace. It was not to be. Williamson and Ross Taylor, the side’s elder statesman, twice runners-up in the last two ICC World Cup Finals, were not about to be accorded bridesmaid status once again. They demonstrated the quality of performance that merited the grandeur of the occasion. As their teammates sat patiently, they utilized all their expertise and experience to avoid unnecessary risks, waiting for the right deliveries to score runs. Slowly but surely, Williamson (52) and Taylor (47) guided the ship home, and at 6:35 pm in bright sunshine, Taylor, quite appropriately, scored the winning runs with a flick over square leg to the boundary, as the champions romped home with 7.1 overs to spare.
The New Zealand cricketers are most worthy of the title of Inaugural Champions of Test Cricket. The Kiwis play the game – in all formats – with a positive aggression, yet conducting themselves with dignity, whilst opting to forgo the unsporting tradition of sledging, often demonstrated by their closest cricketing neighbours. Their ascent to the apogee of the cricketing world over the last seven years is not an accident or a fluke. A number of factors involving both the New Zealand Board and the players themselves have been in play. Beginning under the preceding captain Brendan McCullum, and continuing with Williamson, the Kiwis were led by two strong personalities, willing to take the reins and lead from the front. Whereas McCullum might be considered brash and Williamson, somewhat calmer, they both infused their sides with a quiet confidence and strength. Their approach to fielding under their stewardship has been an absolute joy to cricket lovers as they flat out pursue every ball to the boundary, never conceding easy runs to the opposition.
New Zealand Cricket, realizing the need to lift the quality of their game internationally, went about relaying pitches to make them faster, and since 2013, the results speak for themselves. Besides improving pitches and facilities, the board works closely with the six provincial associations to maximize resources while maintaining a world class, high performance centre which no doubt facilitated the development of the 22 members of the squad used by the world champions over the course of the WTC.
West Indies cricket mirrors that of New Zealand in many aspects, most noticeably in the relatively small population available to provide a sustainable talent pool from which to draw. The most recent study presented to Cricket West Indies to reignite our cricketing standards, the Wehby Report, drew many of its recommendations, after careful review of the Kiwi blueprint. The proposals now lie gathering dust like their predecessors, unacted upon, like the never-ending cries of our past fast bowling greats, Andy Roberts and Curtly Ambrose for faster pitches.
Whilst West Indies cricket fans continue to lament the inertia of our board, perhaps when the team gathers for the next Test series versus Pakistan in August, they will spend time studying the video of the last day of the WTC, appreciating what it takes to become the world champions of Test cricket, the foremost goal that they should be pursuing right now.
Congratulations to New Zealand on winning the inaugural WTC Final.