Back in the Middle East

So here I am in Abu Dhabi, four days after returning to London from Dubai, where I had been covering the rugby sevens. You can never get tired off being hassled by taxi-drivers at Middle East airports.

Barely had I got my feet under the desk and started to appreciate the beautiful cold weather in England again, then Hugh Morris popped up on the telly and said that England were going to fly out to the Middle East and have a holding camp before deciding whether to go on to India. So yours truly was told to pack his bag (to be honest, it hadn't been unpacked), grab the increasingly battered passport and head off to Heathrow to follow them. On the plus side, It's A Wonderful Life, that superb Christmas weepy, was showing on the flight over, so it was well worth it.

It is still uncertain whether England will go on from here. When I arrived at my hotel last night the lead story on the news was the increased security threats to India and the stories about possible plane hijackings. Naturally, that has got everyone more jittery. It will certainly make me feel a bit wary when I return to England on Tuesday. Security seemed extraordinarily lax at Abu Dhabi airport when I arrived.

By bringing ten members of the performance programme out with them, England will have plenty of 'spares' if a couple of senior players have wobbles. But Kevin Pietersen was suggesting yesterday that England will take an Arthur Scargill approach of 'one out, all out'. Tempting though it is to sneak up behind Steve Harmison at nets this afternoon and shout BANG, it appears that this England team are united. That can only be a good thing in the long run.

One agent told me this week that this was as bad a preparation for a Test series as you can get. No warm-up games, heightened security, a sudden feeling of vulnerability for the batsmen and fielders when they cross the boundary rope after being escorted there by a commando... and taking on probably the best side in the world just after they have beaten Australia. England are on a hiding to nothing, but the fact that they are prepared to give it a go reflects very well on them and their captain. I imagine they will be cheered to the rafters by the India fans should they make the start in Madras.

Comments

[Punit]

I disagree that they're on a hiding to nothing. I am often appalled by the decisions made in sport - the issue of Zimbabwean cricket in recent years for instance - but for the England team to go ahead with the Test series is a really honorable thing.

I don't subscribe to the view that this is done to schmooze the BCCI or for the potential to play in the IPL. The ECB have taken against the BCCI on issues it could, and perhaps should have conceded (because the ECB were in the wrong). I don't think there's any great fear of the BCCI from the ECB - the ECB still holds a lot of sway with the ICC. And it's not as if the ECB are bending over backwards to accommodate the IPL - far from it.

Those who are cynical about the motivation for the tour must at least accept that sometimes the right thing is done for the wrong reasons. Even if one subscribes to that view (and I am not one who does), we must congratulate England on fronting up.

To balance the issue of preparedness - others have also mentioned that the Indian side have hardly had an ideal preparation. India go into the series unprepared and also, more directly affected by what happened in Mumbai than the England players. I don't think England (or the press) should start preparing their excuses on these lines.

I am appreciative of the England team's stance; each player has risen in my estimation (many had fallen low after the puerile sweet-throwing incidents of last Summer; that has been completely wiped out with this tour). I sincerely hope there is a competitive series and that the best team wins.

A hiding to nothing? Not at all. before an over is even played, the England side has gained at least one new friend.

[Dr Radhakrishnan]

Are the English trying to find an excuse for the drubbing they are expecting in India by making all these faracas?I felt that they should have done this quietly. In the London Bombings no Italian match was cancelled nor did any Geman bothered stop playing. hey were terribly afraid of the one day drubbing and found the hide outs through a silly reason. no w all of them want a share of the IPL hence going back after making hooha

[tommy cockles]

Sadly I think you'll find that the crowd at the Test Match will be like a County cricket crowd. Even the Aussies didn't pack the fans in when they were recently in India. I believe it's more for the BCCI than the ordinary fan.

[sanjeev]

Pietersen has proved himself to be a leader that can guide his team through a crisis. Win or defeat, he now commands respect from his opponents and the fans of the game. I have changed my opinion on him. Bravo!

[Viru Shah]

Its not that England are the only ones not prepared .. I guess Indians as well after what went on in Mumbai dint have time to think about Cricket. Onlhy few members of Indian Team ( Delhi Players and Laxman ) played in Ranji ... So in that respect I agree with Saranya ..

Though they say that Cricket is a great healer but I find it hard to see how it will heal the families of those who lost their lives. It might be the neccessary distractions from the fear that Indians might be living in and will bring back the smile.. Which is good but only if India wins !!

[Chandra]

Even the worst cynics within India will welcome the English team with open arms. Atleast they seem to have more courage than our useless PM and his lackeys

[sumitha]

Good luck to England. The test side has taken a big blow given the fact that their most effective bowler from the ODI series (Broad) will not be playing due to a hamstring injury.

[Saranya]

You've hit the nail on the head, they ar completely on a hiding to nothing. It would be fantastic if in the next week Pietersen or Moores came out and said that they won't be using any of the events of the last week as an excuse for defeat, can't see that happening, i'm sure we'll hear about the "positives" that they can take out of defeat. Looking ahead to next summer, between now and then the Aussies have got 2 tough series against South Africa where they will be put under the pump. England have this series and 2 series against the West Indies, who with due respect, will hardly test the skills of each and every player in the side.

One point that the English media appears to have completely overlooked is the effect these tragic events have had on the Indian side. Tendulkar has come out and said he feels "numb" by the attrocities and that he is struggling to sleep. How India perform will be very interesting, will they be able to maintain the same wonderful intensity they had in their play during the Australia series and the ODI series. I hope they can.