Peter Roebuck on the game today
Peter Roebuck, former captain of Somerset, naturalised Australian and one of the world’s leading cricket commentators, spoke exclusively to SportsCentral editor Frank Heydenrych.
Q: Is the standard of cricket worldwide on the decline? From what you’ve seen, in South Africa and Australia?
A: The lack of great players and, especially, great bowlers, is limiting the game’s appeal. Every sport needs champion players and rivalries to nourish it. Sachin Tendulkar is the last of the giants of the previous generation, and among the next bunch only Virender Sehwag can be considered great. Much depends on the 20-25s. It’s too early to write them off. But will they stay fit and can a boy with a million in the bank before he has really made his mark fulfil himself? For a variety of reasons I think the game is more vulnerable than it has been for 25 years. It’s in danger of being devoured by popcorn.
Q: How do you feel about BCCI’s dominance?
A: Overall, cricket is lucky to have India as its driving force. It could be a lot worse. India’s money and population make its power inevitable. I am not so much worried by the domination as by the quality of the decisions taken. No one fretted as much when the Brits and Aussies were running the show for 75 years. I am hoping that India’s influence will follow the dialectic process and soften as the years pass. The lack of concern about conflict of interest is just as important. Cricket lacks checks and balances, and independent voices, because so many supposed free thinkers have their snouts in the trough.
Q: Zimbabwe causes you some distress. Is there honestly a decent way forward that does not involve compromise?
A: I have already compromised by accepting MDC policy and advocating renewed sporting links. Given my opinions of the vile ruling party and the people still running ZC, it was a considerable shift but the people on the frontline are best placed to make these calls and they pointed out that without progress in sport and elsewhere the hardliners will come back. I believe a military coup is inevitable – it has already happened in all but name – and that when that happens Zimbabwe ought to be isolated. However, I will do my utmost to promote democracy there and everywhere else. Sport and politics do not mix. But sport cannot ignore tyranny and still claim to be anything more than a childish pursuit.
Q: How do you feel about the perceived self-enrichment in South Africa?
A: The world is a battleground between the corrupt and the common man. I am very happy about the uprisings in North Africa. No one saw them coming. Why not? People want the right to choose their own leaders. Who they choose is no one’s business but their own. But let them choose. The problems are caused by leaders staying too long. As regards South Africa, the self-enrichment shows how little some leaders care about the people. They are conmen. Africa’s future lies in its own hands. Stop occupation. Tell the NGOs to go home from 2015. Use frozen overseas accounts to repay debts. In Zimbabwe, sack the CIO, as it is a waste of money. As the President of Liberia – a fine woman, said recently – “Africa is not poor, it’s poorly managed.” I am with Cosatu and the MDC- for housing, respect for labour, but also stand against corruption at high and low levels. But let the leaders set the example.
Q: What is your best moment in cricket?
A: Watching Tendulkar bat, I think, or else Warne bowl. I also enjoyed captaining Devon. I like the radio as well.
Q: How do you feel about never playing Test cricket, even though lesser players than you played?
A: I was not good enough to play Test cricket. Also, I’d have hated the touring and the intrusion of public into private life. I gave cricket my best shot and have no regrets about that. Insofar as I look back, it is only to wonder whether I might have been more daring. Also, it’s a pity I did not start to bowl seriously till the last couple of years at Somerset. But I don’t think about these things. Cricket was good to me.
Q: Who was the fastest bowler you ever faced, and what happened?
A: The fastest ball was from Malcolm Marshall and I can remember watching it fly over the keeper’s head! The nastiest bowler to face was Sylvester Clarke – every opener of my generation will confirm that. His action made him even harder to handle. The fastest spell I faced was from Allan Donald and I somehow survived and then typically lost my wicket to a medium pacer!
Q: You are recorded as one of those who threw a major frothy on being dismissed. Is this wrong, or just part of the game?
A: Oh, the room used to empty when I was out, just in case! Same with Brian Close and Viv Richards at times. I did throw my bat a few times and once nearly decapitated a 12th man who was not supposed to be there. The story about my walking back from Hove is a bit exaggerated: I did not actually play in that match and hitched a lift home; we had no match for a few days. But I certainly did not like getting out and did not always manage to conceal my opinions! In those days we did not bother with these huddles and were not under as much scrutiny. As captain I cursed and berated and so forth, not at all PC. God alone knows what TV would make of it these days!
Q: Name five players you think will go on to greatness
A: I am not able to name any as I am not fully versed in the 20-year-olds these days. I don’t think Cook or Trott can be considered great despite their figures. Might be a couple of subcontinentals worth watching. Not too sure the modern game encourages greatness. It’s silly to compare IPL with the EPL: soccer games last 90 minutes. It’s not possible to create greatness in a penalty shoot-out!
Archie Henderson comments: “Well done, Frank, on getting Peter R to be interviewed. He has some interesting thoughts on the game and now we know he also threw his bat. Bit like you did when I got you plumb LB that time.”
Frank replies: “To get me LB would have meant you pitched the ball on the stumps fast enough to deceive me. That never happened, other than in the nets. I was LB once in my life, to a ball that pitched so far outside off I could scarcely believe I was stuck. It was Argus editor Andrew Drysdale who did the damned deed. I at no stage in my life threw a cricket bat, but smashed at least three tennis racquets. I think I expected nothing from my batting, which set the bar very high, but felt I was a total fool when netting overhead smashes.”