Few things in life can make your blood boil for no reason. One of them is seeing Australia baying for blood in a tournament, even when India is not playing. It is final, and New Zealand have won the toss but once again choking has become a way of life for them. At the current run rate, with a loss of three wickets, New Zealand are crawling even by Test Match standards of 3.5 runs per over. Nothing disappoints us more than potential remaining unfulfilled - New Zealand is a shining example of great cricketing nation living under the shadows of neighbour and big-brother Australia. They lost the world cup final last Sunday once again losing the war in spite of winning the battles. But do you know, they lost a fantastic opportunity of paying back Australlia for all the years of stepmotherly treatment. Here's why:
New Zealand has been playing cricket for 160 years but it took them 110 years to get Test Status. (Thanks to Australia. India, on the other hand, pushed for Test Status for most neighbouring countries much before Australia did for NZ).
New Zealand won its first Test Victory in 1956 but defeated Australia first in a Test 18 years after its first Test victory. This kind of performance came in late because Australian Board remained negligent towards New Zealand, they ensured that New Zealand got less chances to play international cricket. After the two wars, the first Australian team toured New Zealand with a team called "Board XI" not "Australian XiI" whereas England started sending A-teams much before Australia - even during the World Wars. England also started sending strong teams to New Zealand and on its way to India and Pakistan, they started stopping en route to play minor series in New Zealand. It was England which started playing five-match series first with New Zealand before West Indies and others joined the fray.
The Australian Cricket Board was not only negligent but also illiberal in picking members from New Zealand during the wars. It was only MCC - Melbourne Cricket Club which is hosting the finals today - that was supportive and liberal towards NZ, they toured New Zealand. Gradually, the NZ cricket administration began to take shape and cricket became more organized after the Board of Control got formed. Once a dynamic leadership got formed in NZ, the Aussies also had to reform. The Board in Australia started replacing those who were negligent towards New Zealand by liberal, sports loving persons. And the cricketing relations between the two countries improved.
The only edge Australia is its experience as a 4-time World Champion but if the tables are to turn against them, it has to start from a neighbour held in tight leash by them for too long. If New Zealand also can't reclaim their potential from their bully neighbours, there is no need to jump in the Pacific Ocean, as famous Bishan Singh Bedi once told his Indian boys. New Zealand will get its chances sooner or later. The world of cricket certainly needs and welcomes New Champion but for that the Yellow Fellows have to be tamed first. New Zealand has given us great cricketers - Richard Hadlee, John Wright, Geoff Howarth, Martin Crowe, Chris Cairns and McCullum. They gave some of the toughest semi-final chases to teams like India and Sri Lanka. Now is their best chance. Hope they stay competitive in the final till the last. But at some point, they need to surcharge themselves emotionally, had we had enough of Australia?
