Jack Fingleton

With the rains march-pasting me window, read, re-read and re-re-read the last cricket piece in The Observer on Cricket, edited by Scyld Berry. Jack Fingleton written by Peter Corrigan. One April a letter landed on the Sporting Editor, The Observer from Jack Fingleton: 'Anyway, here is an article which you might or might not want .... I saw your newspaper often when I was in England last summer and I greatly admired the guts of your Sport, sound and sensible, not seeking stunts or display. If the article doesnt suit you, there's no worry. Just send it back and no harm is done at all. If you use it, it is a matter for you whether you use my name over it or a "Special Correspondent." Goes on, Peter Corrigan: ' The week before last we tried to contact him at his home near Canberra to ask for his thoughts on the Lillee kicking incident. There was no answer. Last Sunday we learned he had died the previous day. Me has read Jack Fingleton despatches in The Hindu when G. Kasturi was the Editor. Jack Fingleton was 73. And back to Peter Corrigan: " He would have had a tribute in these columns even without his late defection into our company. But we like to think he enjoyed his brief time as part of the motley collection of dreamers and seekers of truth and wisdom, as much as we were proud to have him." Me emailed Jack Fingleton to get his view on the rather gross run act of Pollard at Wankhede in an IPL match. In The Indian Express today, Bharat Sundaresan says as much in Can batsmen cross a line by actually not crossing one? Pollard did jump the line and thats not on in cricket. Jack Fingleton for sure would have disliked it. There has been no response from the dreamer. Maybe he has been felled by a Pollard bat. A journalist should carry poetry in his or her soul and dreams in his or her head. Otherwise, journalism is nothing. And today, have we dreamers in Indian sports writing. Do not think so. They are sure of cricket laws, quote them, are in Hai terms with Kohli and Sachin, hand shake Rajiv Shukla of IPL, and are never overly upset by jumping of traffic lights. 'Are bhai we have to win.' Commentators, me thinks it was Morrison as TV commentator, loudly and laughingly appreciated the sharp act late that Wankhede night (am prepared to take a correction). Maybe cricket is over; we are presiding over its remains. Can then one ask a small favour: a Sorry from Pollard. Am sure Jack Fingleton will write a piece.