With fast hands and an expansive follow-through, he flayed everything South Africa could throw at him. Unless injury prevails, he can now book a berth for the triangular tournament later in the summer, something not guaranteed his Surrey team-mate Adam Hollioake, who must now wait to see if his tenure as England’s one-day captain is to be continued.Dropped once by Jonty Rhodes – one of three difficult catches the fielder spilled in the course of the mayhem – Brown’s 50, which came from just 31 balls was the fastest in the 15-year history of this trophy. Whoever captains them, and their storming win over South Africa at Headingley yesterday was just the latest example, England are a side who specialise in making the futile gesture.
Many of course would argue all sport is meaningless. If it is, this win would still have had a frisson of satisfaction about for England’s beleaguered players, coming as it did with seven wickets and 15 overs to spare. On a pitch offering something to all bowlers, South Africa’s total of 206 was made to look woefully inadequate as both Alistair Brown and Nick Knight put on 114 for the first wicket.Brown, as he has often threatened, but rarely achieved, played the pinch hitting role to perfection. Not as winners of the Texaco trophy, which until their second successive defeat on Saturday had been the norm for the last six seasons, but as a side who save their best for after the big event. “I’d structured my whole summer around the tour but in the light of the RFU [Rugby Football Union] medical team’s advice, I must get the problem resolved as soon as possible.”l Welsh rugby officials were given the backing yesterday to carry on the long-running and expensive battle with their richest club, Cardiff.
Given that Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill and Tim Rodber were already missing from the back-row equation, Back’s temporary demise is almost too much to bear.”I’m very disappointed,” said the Leicester open-side yesterday. South Africa 205-8; England 206-3 England win by seven wickets
ENGLAND’S summer has started predictably. At a special general meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union all the other clubs in Wales rubber-stamped the move to get the Premier Division club to sign an outstanding 10-year-loyalty agreement regarding television deals and sponsorship.. “He’s suffering from a groin injury that requires rest and therefore is not fit to travel,” said the coach before calling up Richard Pool-Jones, a 28-year-old former Wasp currently playing impressively for the crack Parisian club, Stade Francais.
England must now tackle all three southern superpowers without five of their elite pack, not to mention both preferred half-backs and three of their top four threequarters. Woodward announced yesterday that Back had failed a pre-tour medical at Twickenham. Clive Woodward, the national coach, must now be in serious danger of picking himself for the opening Test against Australia in 12 days’ time.
AND THEN there were not very many. Neil Back, widely regarded as England’s international rugby union player of the season, yesterday became the umpteenth first-choicer to drop out of the red rose party for this summer’s daunting trek around the southern hemisphere. While the day may not have arrived for global approval of our International Code, the European Union has the opportunity now to demonstrate its moral leadership on the world stage.Dr OSCAR ARIASNobel Peace Prize Winner 1987 (former president of Costa Rica)DONALD GANNChairperson, American Friends Service Committee (Nobel Peace Prize Winner 1947)JOSE RAMOS-HORTANobel Peace Prize Winner 1996 (National Council of Maubere Resistance)Professor JOSEPH ROTBLATNobel Peace Prize Winner 1995 (Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of London)Archbishop DESMOND TUTUNobel Peace Prize Winner 1984 (Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission)PATTI WHALEYDeputy Secretary General for Amnesty International (Nobel Peace Prize Winner 1977)BETTY WILLIAMSNobel Peace Prize Winner 1976 (Northern Ireland Peace People)London WC1. First proposed in 1995 by Oscar Arias, former president of Costa Rica, our initiative establishes clear moral guidelines that all nations, rich and poor, must uphold when considering arms transfers. We urge governments to remind themselves that by agreeing the toughest code possible, they have the opportunity to help prevent great human suffering.
The European Union accounts for 40 per cent of all arms exports to the developing world. Recent reports of the violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in Indonesia – one of the main recipients of arms from Europe – are a stark reminder of the need for tougher guidelines governing exports to countries that abuse human rights.
More rigorous consultations between countries, to prevent one from granting an export licence which another has refused, are also essential. Sir: European foreign ministers meet in Brussels today to finalise key elements of the EU Code of Conduct on arms exports. Amendments still have to be made if it is to have a significant impact on the flow of arms from Europe to regions of conflict and regimes that abuse human rights.
Furthermore, the code should include improved measures for transparency and parliamentary scrutiny so that the public can effectively monitor weapons sales.A strong European Code will also be an essential building block for the establishment of an International Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers such as the one we Nobel peace laureates have written. What I appear to have missed is any reference to the thousands of innocent men, women and children in Japan today who continue to suffer the effects from radiation caused by the two atomic bombs dropped in the Second World War.
Where, may I ask, is their apology? Where is their compensation?SIMON KRUGERLeicester. The Independent would not give a platform to racistsIAN CHARLESOxford. Sir: I have read many articles regarding ex-PoWs in the Far East and their battle for an acceptable apology and compensation from the Japanese government. This is then used as justification for childish insults.
My gender, like my race, is determined genetically. They can be recycled as cloths to wash the car, polish the furniture, etc. I threw the last one away about the time that its former wearer started secondary school.
JUDITH HOLMESHarleston, Norfolk.
