Cloud of uncertainty looms large

On a muggy morning, after a night of thunder and lightning, the Indians once again went through the paces with their eyes on sky and a sense...

On a muggy morning, after a night of thunder and lightning, the Indians once again went through the paces with their eyes on sky and a sense of uncertainity. The heavy cloud cover and the chill in the air has to some extent brought down the rising mercury of a heated World Cup semi-final between India and Kenya.

In a scenario like this both the teams are under the same umbrella: The eagerness to play the most important games of their lives is overshadowed by the uncertainity over the unfolding of a fair contest.

Predicting a total washout wouldn’t be fair considering the brilliance of the ground authorities and their ability to keep the ground protected. But tomorrow Messers Duckworth & Lewis might just as well have a big role to play than even say a Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.

Story continues below this ad

The match does have a reserve day too but as the locals say that ‘‘it doesn’t just rain here, it pours’’ the possibility of ‘two-day rain’ cannot be ruled out. So in the case who goes goes through? The rule book gives the go ahead to the winner in the Super Six stage. That clears the clouds for India, but for a impartial watcher that will mean a huge tragedy for Kenya.

A team which has played so well and had a fairytale run till now does not deserve to leave South Africa without showing their wares at the semi-final stage. That would mean another African side washed out due to rains. It seems the rain Gods in this part of the world wouldn’t have many followers.

The Indians skipper Saurav Ganguly, very much aware about the rain rule, appeared quite casual watching the covers fly and heavens open. ‘‘We will have to keep a tab of the Duckworth and Lewis target if this continues,’’ he said. Wisened after the South African experience an Indian journalist asked: Who exactly will be keeping an tab on the revised target in case of rains? Ganguly was quite clear, ‘‘The coach John Wright will be updating us on field,’’ he said.

So guys, if the Kingsmead tragedy is repeated you know who will take the blame.

Story continues below this ad

So that happen to the worst case scenario. Considering the fact the Met Departments across the world follow cricket’s glorious tradition of uncertainity, chances are that one may see the blue sky and the sun in its full glow tomorrow. So what is it that the Indians need to do if they don’t want to repeating the frog march to victory they did last time while playing the Kenyans?

For starters Ganguly needs to win the toss and will be a step in the right direction. But since that will be asking too much from a captain who besides the flipping of coin has done everything so well.