CRICKET: "Pressure," the chorus would thunder out from Chickie's disco at the Recreation Ground in Antigua when England were last there. "Can't take the pressure." Well, pressure means different things to different people, but in cricket it does not get much greater than in the final Test starting at the Oval today.
At stake is a series, of course. A win for either side would round off a remarkable summer which already has seen England wallop Sri Lanka and India win the NatWest trophy in style. But it goes deeper than that. England need victory to re-establish their self-esteem in the aftermath of an inept performance at Trent Bridge and a disastrous one at Headingley.
India know another wasted opportunity to win a series away from the subcontinent will be greeted with derision back home. There are other elements, too, with Sachin Tendulkar's 100th Test and cultural/colonial overtones stirred up by an Indian media many of whom can remember sufficiently far back to want to make such matters an issue.
Finally, there is a lurking resentment in India's camp, and especially within the mind of the captain Sourav Ganguly, that for all India's dismal record abroad his side do not get enough credit for their performances at home.
India march into areas untrodden since they won 2-0 in a three-match series in England 16 years ago. Since then there have been too many examples of chances thrown away. In the past year or so India lost to Zimbabwe in Harare when a draw would have given them a series win. Next Sri Lanka beat them by an innings to take a decider in a three-match series, and, before this tour, West Indies pulled off a 155-run win to pluck that series out of the fire.
"This is very important for us," Ganguly admitted yesterday. "We have been trying to do this for 18 months. We have been in similar situations and not been able to pull off victories or even manage to draw. It is not that it is England; it could be anyone. We need this."
Rewards for victory would be vast, far greater than England could expect. The 1986 win was followed by a gigantic parade when the team returned home. "Ah well," said Ganguly. "We will be trying our best and if it happens for us it will be one of the best things to happen. And if it doesn't, then life goes on."
If only it were that simple for the Indian media in England and millions of supporters at home. "Actually, if they fail," Nasser Hussain pointed out, "they will go home the same old Indian team that fell at the final hurdle."
The England captain, in the aftermath of the Headingley defeat, pointed out the increased burden a series going to the last match would place on India.
"I've been in the situation here at the Oval when we hadn't beaten West Indies for 31 years and suddenly here was the chance. I didn't sleep a wink and every delivery of the match was huge. We desperately wanted to put an end to that run, and I'm sure that is how it is with the senior Indian players and the rest."
There is no question the force is with India, although Hussain concedes nothing in that regard. "I do not believe in momentum," he insisted. "You are only as good as you play on any given day."
