What if...?

The Jewish Chronicle today has a feature on alternative histories. Nine writers consider what might have happened if something that actually did happen hadn't, or if something that hadn't happened had. Adam LeBor asks: what if the early Zionists had accepted the Uganda option? Vernon Bogdanor wonders: what if Churchill had not become Prime Minister? Irma Kurtz's question is: what if the Tsar had been nice to the Jews? My question, amongst the several others there, is: what if Israel had chosen cricket over shesh besh? I reproduce the answer below:

Benny Schmeizer emigrated to Israel from Durban in 1951. He was then 17 and an extraordinarily promising cricketer. Those who coached him were predicting a bright future with Natal and South Africa. An aggressive middle-order batsman, Benny was also four bowlers in one: both paceman and spinner, he could bowl equally effectively with either arm.

When he began playing cricket in Rehovot, the effect was to transform Israel's cricketing profile, and not only by the force of his example on the field.

That example did draw many into the orbit of the Israeli game. Benny bowling an over at fearsome speed, his deadly "throat" ball followed by a late inswinging yorker, and then turning to slow left-arm spin of a quality comparable to Derek Underwood at his best, exercised a huge attraction.

But there was also Benny's personal influence: his capacity to motivate and energise others. By the late 1950s, cricket was the most popular game in the country. A generation of players emerged whose names are now legendary. Dov Mizrachi, Arieh Gur and Micha ("Gloves") Katz all came to prominence in these years.

In the mid-1960s, Israel achieved Test-playing status. Who can forget its first major series victory on that thrilling August afternoon in 1970 when Sam ("Shmuelik") Rosenwinkel spun England to destruction on a wearing Oval pitch?

It is to Rosenwinkel, of course, that we owe the Rosenwinkler, a delivery whose secret has only ever been fathomed by two other bowlers: Rosenwinkel's son Rami and the New Zealander Craig Brittenden.

Thus did Israel become world-beaters. The organising energy of Benny Schmeizer in retirement was important in that. In addition, Jewish cricketers were increasingly attracted to the country by its new prowess: between 1975 and 2000, more Jewish cricketers settled there than Jewish doctors.

In the 1980s, Israel twice comfortably beat Clive Lloyd's West Indians; they also saw off the great Australian teams of the 1990s.

By now a new form of appeal had emerged in international cricket, with bowlers turning to the umpire and enquiring "Nu?"

Benny Schmeizer died last week at his home in Ashkelon.

The whole feature is here.