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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
ONE of the greatest lines in television football commentary was done by BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme on June 30, 1966 at Wembley during the FIFA World Cup final between England and West Germany shortly after Geoff Hurst had put the hosts ahead in extra-time of a gripping contest.

Some English fans, believing the match was over when Hurst thrust them into the lead again, started pouring from their seats in the stadium, filled with more than 92 000 supporters, onto the field to celebrate with their heroes.

“Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over . . . it is now,’’ just after Hurst raced clear and scored a fourth right at the end.

The phrase has become so popular it inspired a British television sports show that was named after it, while it also found its way in New Order’s “World In Motion” and The Dentist’s “Some People Are On The Pitch” albums.

There were no Zimbabwean fans on the Harare Sports Club pitch on Thursday evening after the Chevrons’ heartbreaking loss to the amateurs of the United Arab Emirates in a match they needed to win to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup in England next year.

But, more than 50 years after Wolstenholme’s iconic phrase, the statement could have been used to describe the thousands of fans who witnessed this disaster unfold from their front-row seats at Harare Sports Club.

And the millions of their countrymen and women who followed the disastrous events from a distance.

“They think it’s all over now,” would have been a perfect description of the mood among the Zimbabweans on Thursday, in the wake of their three-run defeat against the UAE, even though a small window of hope for them to make it to England was still left open.

For had Afghanistan and Ireland tied in a low-scoring match in the final Super Six match yesterday, it would have been Zimbabwe who would have sneaked through the back door and qualified instead.

But when Afghanistan, who arrived in the Super Six without a point to their credit and then won all their three games, powered to a five-wicket victory over the Irish, in a tight match that ebbed and flowed, Zimbabwe’s fate was sealed.

“It is (over) now,” Wolstenholme’s words would have provided a fitting conclusion to the drama.

Amid the apology from Sikandar Raza, who was outstanding throughout the tournament and whose dismissal on Thursday turned the tide against Zimbabwe, there were some serious concerns about where the domestic game goes from now.

Others even fear we could go the way of Kenya, who made the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003 only to disappear from the radar, while some feel this could be the end of careers for a number of players who have been the identity of this team.

“We have to pick ourselves up again,” said captain Graeme Cremer. “We have got some cricket this year, I am sure. Probably we could have had a lot more had we qualified but it wasn’t to be.

“But we will pick ourselves up. We have played some good cricket and stumbled at the last hurdle.”

What was supposed to be a party atmosphere at Harare Sports Club tomorrow, with more than 15 000 fans packed into the stadium to cheer their Chevrons taking on the Windies in the final of this Qualifier, has suddenly been spoiled by the events on Thursday.

It’s the first time the Chevrons will not feature in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in which they have taken part in.

The Chevrons won the 1982 tournament in England by defeating Bermuda with Andy Pycroft and Craig Hogdson scoring half centuries and returned to that country four years later to beat the Netherlands in the final by 25 runs.

In their final appearance in the tournament in 1990, the Chevrons went to the Netherlands and beat the hosts in the final by six wickets with Andy Flower announcing his arrival on the big stage with an unbeaten 69.

Now, they have to watch from the sidelines as others party tomorrow at their home ground for the right to win the trophy and Windies batsman Chris Gayle, probably making his last appearance in this country, says he is in the mood to party with the fans.

“It will be nice to actually finish playing in Harare to be honest. I hope it will be a full house and fans here in Zimbabwe are fantastic,” said Gayle.

“The way they rock to the tunes in the stands and they cheer, I absolutely love it you know, one of the best fan zones or fan bases that I have actually played in front of. I mean Zimbabwe, the South Africa dance, and they love the beats. I have got to take back the music for sure.

“Don’t worry I can dance, I will dance with them, I’ll interact with the crowd on Sunday as well. I’ll have some fun for sure.

“It has been a great tournament, the support here in Zimbabwe is always fantastic. It has been quite a while since I have been here, the people have been fantastic. I have a lot of great memories here in Zimbabwe, my first Test hundred was here.

“To actually come back here and relive those moments has been fantastic.

“This will be my last tour of Zimbabwe, and people here are great.”

The Windies are what Brazil is to football, the team the world seemingly supports, and they have enjoyed a lot of support here.