The writer is a former member of parliament and a freelance columnist based in Lahore.The article was first published in The News on December 9, 2005.

Is victory as hard to take as defeat? It would seem so considering the carping and sniping that is going on since Pakistan spectacularly won the third cricket test match. I had no intention of starting another column with a cricket preamble but some of the remarks being made are so absurd that they are impossible to ignore.

Let us get the basics right. Pakistan were underdogs against an ashes winning side that was hyped as the best in the world. We not only won two zero but inflicted a humiliating innings defeat on them in the last test on a benign wicket. If this does not qualify as something special then I don’t know what does.

But this performance does not unfortunately provide the right kind of ammunition for those with agendas or pet hates. The new tack is to praise the team and trash the board. I have nothing to do with the board and would not normally bother with what is said but some of the criticism is ridiculous.

There are complaints that the Board Chairman was not present to congratulate the team or that the Indian tour itinerary has been changed (what horror) and the Director Board operations is former foreign office official (now we can't have that). Next, we will hear that their clothes are flashy and hair too white or their accent too 'angrez' for the land of the pure.

There is a nice Punjabi example of finding fault where there is none and it concerns a women kneading flour. When nothing else can be pinned on her, she is accused of moving while kneading or 'ata gunian hildee kiyon aye'. Flour cannot be kneaded without moving but this does not deter the accusers. Logic has never hindered the moaners or stopped those determined to re-emerge from the dust bin of history.

The great strength of Shaheryar Khan and his management team has been that they know when to step in and when to back off. This has created an environment unprecedented in the history of the board. It was the norm in the past for the Chairman to be a Mr Know All in everything and to interfere in every matter major or minor. Not any more.

I recall this horror story about the goings on at Lords when we got into the final of the world cup in 1999. Not only was every manner of board official ensconced in the dressing room and of course advising but phone calls were coming from Islamabad on whom to select and whether to bowl or bat. No wonder we were badly beaten by Australia.

The great thing about the current lot is that they don't interfere in cricket and never go to the dressing room unless it is to congratulate the team or pat a back or two. They have taken some basic strategic decisions such as the appointment of the Coach and the Captain and then allowed them to get on with the job without micro management from the top.

Appointment of Bob Woolmer has been a master stroke and he has had a huge impact on the team. It is sad that he has not been given enough praise for his troubles but the fact is, he is the difference between a side that never lived up to its promise and one that now transcends its limitations to win.

The board has also supported Inzimam when the chips have been down as they were in India and West Indies. But the more important contribution of the management is to give him the right amount of power along with the responsibilities of captaincy. It is Inzamam who has the final say on the playing eleven. He decides the tactics of the game and his word is final on the kind of wicket that is prepared for the matches.

This is a lot of power but it creates the right ambiance for the captain and his team to perform. He also knows that success or failure on the field is his alone and cannot be blamed on anyone else. Of course, Woolmer advises on everything and it says something for the relationship between him and Inzamam that the only person whom the Captain enveloped in a huge bear hug after the victory at Lahore was the coach.

In short, the winning formula in the cricket board today and it has taken a long time coming, is that the Board officials concern themselves with the management side of the game only. On the playing side, they create the enabling environment and then step back. It is this that has brought success to the team and sanity in the affairs of a sport that is very dear to all of us.

More power to them I say.

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2005 smahmood@lhr.comsats.net.pk)