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Tips his son's team to win

By Vijay Lokapally

DURBAN FEB. 8. How does one get to see Peter Pollock, one of the legendary cricketers of South Africa. A former National selector, he lives in this bustling city and like any other countryman, feels intense pressure every time he steps out of the house. Will his nation win the Cup?

How does one reach him? Enquiries lead us to Gavin Pollock, who runs a souvenir shop at the Kingsmead.

And Gavin is very sporting. He offers to organise a meeting.

"Let me try,'' he smiles. ``I need to first find him. I hope he's at home,'' and Gavin calls his mother. We are lucky.

The senior Pollock is at home and, would you believe it, offers to drive down to his son's shop in the next 15 minutes.

"He's coming'' announces Gavin and rushes off to the main gate to facilitate his father's entry. The Kingsmead is going through a security drill and even the great Peter Pollock would not gain entry just because he happens to be Peter Pollock.

It can happen in India too. Gundappa Visvanath was denied entry to his own benefit match and Salim Durrani was chased away by a curt cop in his own backyard.

Gavin is just ensuring that his father is not embarrassed at the gate.

And when the father-son duo enters the shop, it is difficult to say who is fitter.

The senior Pollock, 70-plus, is an imposing personality. His gait is straight, shoulders do not droop and his thoughts are clear and he is very forthcoming.

Pollock does feel the pressure. "Why not. The pressure will always be felt. But then it's been part of the game for us,'' he says as he reflects on the success attained by his all-rounder son.

It is obvious that Pollock backs South Africa to win the Cup. "I think we deserve to win. A technicality denied us the chance in 1999 and then one bad match (against the West Indies) and all the good work done earlier meant nothing (in 1996). I reckon Shaun and his team will pull it off this time.

How does he rate Australia. "Oh, it will be the team to beat. I'm not saying Australia is not in the race. It is a very formidable side and capable of dominating any day, but then it has a few shortcomings too.

"I suspect it's a team that can't handle pressure that well, but I'll not rule out Australia at any cost.''

Any other team in his view? "Of course, India. It's a very strong side with some very exciting players. I think India's batting will hold the key and the bowlers might have to take that extra load since the pitches are likely to produce runs.''

He also rates New Zealand as the "dark horse'' of the tournament.

The World Cup, in his opinion, means a lot to South Africa. "It's much more than a tournament for us. It's going to take the game forward in a big way.

"It'll help us raise funds to develop our cricket and also to upgrade the facilities in many more places. The World Cup has come at the right time for us and a win would give the game a great boost. I'm looking forward to the event.''

Looking at the format, would the team winning the Cup really be the best team in the world. "Not necessarily. On paper, you could say Australia and South Africa are the two best teams in the world, winning consistently.

The team winning the Cup may not be the best but then you have got to be very good to win the Cup. I would say the format adopted here is the best possible way of deciding the best team in the world.''

Pollock also welcomes the hype around the Cup. The intensity may be higher in India but South Africa, as a nation, has devoted every inch of space to cricket. The World Cup appears to have brushed all problems aside, at least for the moment.

The fever generated is simply stunning. Huge hoardings on the roads and adverts in the newspapers and television channels give an indication of how cricket-crazy this nation can get.

The cricketers here are stars too and enjoy a mindboggling status among the youth. Newspapers are competing in cricket coverage with hefty supplements heralding the event.

On television, newsreaders and anchors are dressed up as cricketers. The other day one gentleman went through the weather bulletin in a cricket gear minus the helmet. Every one is cashing in on the cricket fever. The World Cup has brought people here together and there is nothing but cricket in the air.

If what Pollock says comes true, this nation would have deserved its best gift of the independent era.

South Africa indeed is best prepared to win, what with 42 million fans praying for Shaun and his team to make history. But the most earnest prayer, would come from this legendary Pollock, father of South Africa's cricket captain.

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