by Arunabha Sengupta
Almost every move of his came off. Eric Rowan was convinced even before the series that he was a hell of a good captain.
By the end of the 4-0 rout, the Australian camp was far from a happy one. Vice-captain Ian Chappell was not even around as the final wickets were lost, away in the golf course. Umpire Coetzee entered the visiting dressing room with an exotic gift—a souvenir plaque made of lion hide. Bill Lawry refused. “I am not a hypocrite,” he said. The Australian camp was not a happy one. And they were not happy with the umpiring.
In the other camp, Ali Bacher was chaired off the ground.
Graeme Pollock 517 runs at 73.85; Barry Richards 508 at 72.57; Eddie Barlow 360 runs at 51.42 and 11 wickets at 23.36; Lee Irvine 353 runs at 50.42; Mike Procter 26 wickets at 13.57 and 209 runs at 34.83; Peter Pollock 15 wickets at 17.20. It was indeed a supreme side. Player for player it was perhaps the best in the world. And it would never be seen in Test cricket again.
Modestly, Bacher suggested that the 1970 side is so great that a captain is redundant.
When the future of the 1970 tour of England hung in balance Bacher’s statement was guarded. He said that he would welcome multi-racial cricket as soon as it was considered practical by the Government. He discussed with Springbok rugby captain Dawie de Villiers about what to expect in England. While stating that he would love to speak to a demonstrator provided the latter was polite, Bacher insisted that they should not be allowed to break up a tour.
For a man who would later perform quite incredible things to keep cricket alive and fair in South Africa during and after the isolation years, his statement included that perennial cliché: “We are not politicians, we are going to England to play cricket.”
However, he did publicly defend the right of protesters to stage peaceful demonstrations.
All the while he was working as a medical doctor working in a hospital for non-Europeans near Johannesburg. It was not really that easy to speak against prevalent government policies in South Africa.
In the years of isolation, Bacher worked furiously to level the playing fields. To ensure that the standard of cricket was maintained in the land, to ensure that rebels were lured to tour and play against the best of the country. He also worked tirelessly to ensure that South Africa re-emerged in the international scene in a manner acceptable to the world.
Bacher was also one of the earliest to recognise that South African cricket would have to embrace the non-White cricketers and communities if they were to have a realistic change of returning to the big league. He pioneered mass coaching clinics and development programs in the black townships. By 1990 signs and symptoms hinted at the end of the bleak era, and Bacher had the foresight to form a single colour-independent body to oversee all cricket in South Africa. To this end, he worked in close collaboration with Steve Tshwete, the head of the sports desk of the African National Congress. This was followed by Bacher and Tshwete’s triumphant London visit, which saw South Africa’s admission to ICC.
Bacher was the manager of the Clive Rice-led South African team which embarked on a historic tour to India in 1991. Through the next 12 years, he reigned as the most influential figure in South African cricket.
There were hiccups, major ones. His goal was such that he could not please all.
His drive to organise rebel tours has led critics to ask questions about his ethics. And later there have been issues with the World Cup funds. He has also been associated with the evils of reverse-apartheid in South African cricket. Kevin Pietersen has gone on record saying that it was Bacher’s rudeness and stubborn adherence to quota system that led him to leave South Africa and ply his trade in England.
And then in April 2000 he was suddenly woken up in the wee hours by a sobbing Hansie Cronje.
But, Bacher was a key player in resuming normal sport in a society that stuttered and stumbled back towards some kind of normality.
Ali Bacher was born on 24 May 1942.