After the Black Caps' sigh-inducing effort in Hamilton, cricket fans across the country could be forgiven for seeking a distraction from the current tour - which at this point feels frustrating, fortune-reversing and fated for failure. Many sports fans turned to Rugby as the Otago-based Super team continues to hold the high ground (if only just) in matches against all-comers, others return to the politics of the day as the resignation of a minister is apparently enough to fill the front page. My mental wanderings traversed both extremes and more, in an attempt to ignore the impossible task of explaining away another batting collapse by my team (although in the back of my mind the words 'better fast bowling attack' spring to mind). The moment when I found the distraction that I craved and needed took place while reading 'Stephen Fleming: Balance of Power' (author Richard Boock, 2004). I feel both enlightened and guilty for finding distraction in this way because the Karachi bombing outside the team hotel in 2002 (which killed 14 people) is nothing to take trivial distraction from, but in my best defence I confess that the following jumped out at me in a way I have seldom experienced and I felt it only right to share this with you, my humble readers.
For those who do not remember, the Black Caps tour of Pakistan was ended prematurely after the Karachi bombing and Stephen Fleming appeared on television as an emotional wreck, easy to see and too easy to understand perhaps, but the book I mention above includes two letters that give this dramatic time greater context and gravitas. Fleming received both letters shortly after returning to New Zealand when the team was rushed out of Pakistan for fears over safety.
This is from a Pakistani cricket fan who had travelled to the hotel in question with his brother to get an autograph:
"...Dear Sir
Stephin Fellming
how are you I am fine here and hope you will be happy. Sir My Name SARWAR MALIK and ASAD MAIK was my elder brother who was very much fan you. Our accommodation is at Lahore and we all peoples went to Stadium, for see his Match and meet with you and we regret for his postpone the Match tour of Pakistan. Sir ASAD MALIK my brother went to Karachi for receiving you autograph and died in front of SHERATON HOTEL due to Bomb Blast and cut the Arms from the body and was in great pain and crying loudly, sir he was my elder brother and great fan of you and died on the sport, sir he was the only earning person of our house. Sir, you feel my brother's pain and you also weep at the the time of interview in press conference and after reading the statement in the News paper we feel that you are not only good player but also a great person too, because you have heart to feel the pain of others so. My old mother feel the need to send for thanks letter And I am weeping due to death of my brother, sir, now when I am writing you the letter I am too weeping, and sir I am again thanks to you for remembering my brother's demise.
With great thanks,
Yours sincerely
Sarwar Malik"
Not everyone viewed the team's exit of the country and safe return to New Zealand with as much relief as others, this from a New Zealander with strong feelings on the subject:
"Dear Steven (sic) and your men,
I appreciate you had a shock. However you are coming across to many of us as a wimp and you are the captain!
Come on, be a man. New Zealand had many, many men who went through horrific experiences during all of the wars that we have been involved in and they did not come home and wimp or grizzle about any of it.
I had an uncle who dug a hole in the sand every night for four years. That was in the Dessert (sic). No one ever heard him talk about his trials. He went on to become very successful in his life and still lives today.
What do you think he thinks of you lot?
Many of us have shocks and are not in the protected arena that you men are
Become mature and do well
I wish you well
Sincerely etc"
Well as to the second letter, the idea that the individual could write such a thing but end it with '...I wish you well..' says all that need be said about that individual in my opinion. However, just in case any of you feel fellowship with that individual, I would ask you a couple questions: don't you think our forefathers suffered and died in those wars so that we might live to enjoy the life of an international sportsman? To have the freedom to pursue such an end in the peace and security required to create such opportunity? If you disagree then answer me this instead - where exactly in the job description of NZ Cricket Captain does it mention the required skill of fighting in battle or coping with terrorism while on tour? A soldier has the trip, in boat or plane to the battlefield to at least ponder such things and prepare his/her courage, he/she did not see a dozen fellow human beings ripped apart next door to their house without warning or reason.
But I digress, what really struck a blow to my mind was the idea of receiving such letters addressed on both the envelope and in the words themselves, to you personally. I truly struggled with remorse at the first and anger at the second only to realise that I had the luxury of 'coping' with such differing emotions and their sources, in the comfort of an office lunch room with no greater stress than a recent Test Match loss. Fleming had to cope with such sadness and such vitriol on the back of actually seeing the images referred to, of experiencing the hell that was hinted at and surviving the scenes of carnage. The fact that he portrayed a face of both strength and humanity to the entire ordeal fills me with pride for my former captain and I can only hope that the likes of Ross Taylor can aspire to such heights during his tenure and not be destroyed by a test loss here and there.
I still feel guilty for exploiting such a thing for distraction but I cannot deny the impact those letters had on my understanding of Stephen Fleming and of ones priorities in life.
Well that's it from here and I hope you join me again
It's good bye for now
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