A FORMER tiger tamer, who played for Namibia in the ICC Trophy, might almost have been talking about cricket when he said in Kuala Lumpur: ``You are the boss, or you are food - there is no in-between.''
Wayne Ackerman, a Windhoek farmer, was touching on the golden rules for all big cats as he reminisced about the old days at Gerry Cottle's circus in England. His words might easily have been Ali Bacher's warning to the International Cricket Council about the state of the game.
Bacher, managing director of the South African Board who has flown to 10 countries in nine months preparing an ICC development report, made his point during his visit to the ICC Trophy, the final of which is to be played in Kuala Lumpur this week. He warned against relaxing, about competition with other sports for popularity - about winners and losers, with no in-between. His view was that cricket was not winning.
Whatever the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack opinion about the state of the domestic game in England, cricket has not caught on globally. An influential country such as England should blush at how little cricket has spread in Europe over a century. Bacher was too diplomatic to specify names, but his meaning was clear.
For example, Holland, in well over 100 years of cricket, still possess only 5,000 players and not until this year have they installed their first grass pitch for first-class usage.
Bacher's plans to advance cricket globally are moving forward, and this should mean that the ICC meeting at Lord's in June will be a momentous occasion.
The ICC dare not fail cricket now. It is as though the game's future and past will pivot on that day, when the delegates will be asked to accept far-reaching changes.
One of Bacher's proposals is to install a development officer on every continent where expansion is feasible - in Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Antigua (for America), South Africa and London.
International one-day status will be conferred on Kenya, Bangladesh and Holland immediately, and on others as quickly as possible. This one-day status is to be used to spread the game - into China, for example, where Dennis Lillee, an ICC emissary, was welcomed in Beijing to play in a six-a-side tournament.
Bacher said cricket had been identified as an especially suitable sport in China and Japan. ``The beauty of that area is that they're mad about sport. Their size is good for cricket whereas in rugby union and league, for example, you have to be massive and heavy. Our game is a big plus in countries like that.''
Bacher would like the ICC to seize upon the proposal by American television interests to stage an annual one-day international tournament at Disneyworld in Florida.
Bacher, one suspects, would welcome the idea of a two-year cycle for the World Cup, instead of four. This issue is controversial, but the potential for taking big-time cricket around the world more frequently has begun to look irresistible in a largely amateur game.
Existing tournaments in India, Sharjah and Singapore, not to mention Orlando, could be taken over by the ICC. The ICC Trophy could even be linked in to form divisions in a structured world one-day league. The possibilities are exciting. How long would China take to reach the high division? Years, decades, but not centuries.
Influential people from every country gathered for the ICC meeting and tournament in steamy Kuala Lumpur - there were players, coaches, administrators, figureheads, enthusiasts. Just about everybody.
Ackerman, nephew of the South African batsman Hylton Ackerman, rears cheetahs as a business sideline, and the all-rounder was hoping to cap a fruitful Trophy by looking up two of them in the local city zoo.
Ole Mortensen, the former Derbyshire bowler, made Denmark the most enthusiastic side in the tournament as their coach, despite preparations that were far from ideal. They trained in snow, left Copenhagen in minus-eight degree temperatures, arrived to a humid 35 degrees in Kuala Lumpur and yet finished an unexpected fifth.
Bob Simpson was working on a consultancy basis for Bermuda after his sacking as Australia's coach. Bermuda, with Canada, have been admitted into the West Indies equivalent of the Benson and Hedges Cup, and Simpson expects the island to be accepted into the Red Stripe four-day championship within three years.
The ICC announced that the most promising players in the Trophy would be awarded scholarships for cricket academies in Australia, South Africa, India and London. No limit was set on numbers.
Malaysia, who surprised everyone by adopting cricket for next year's Commonwealth Games, have high hopes for Arul Suppiah, 13, who has taken up a scholarship at Millfield School.
The Test-playing countries are likely to send under-21 sides to the Commonwealth Games in September next year, with perhaps two over-age 'stars' to bolster the tournament's standing. England, in season, might have to send a weaker side than that.
The next ICC Trophy competition, probably in Canada or the United States, will be split into a top group of 10 and bottom group of 12, with relegation and promotion.
All shapes, sizes and colours took to the field in Kuala Lumpur. Cricket is cricket the world over - and Bacher intends to keep it that way.