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Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle

Come Thursday and the R. Premadasa Stadium will be packed to capacity to see two of the game's great teams Sri Lanka and Pakistan clash in the first match in the ICC trophy champions tourney under lights. The teams will contest this game with no quarter asked or given. A win is a must for either team in their endeavour for the trophy.

The recent meetings between the two teams in Morocco ended in a win for each team. The Pakistanis who lost twice to South Africa failed to make it to the final and went home empty handed. In the tournament in Kenya too, the Pakistanis were thrashed in the first round games.

They however rallied in the final and made an imposing 236. When the final was set for an exciting finish down came the rains to cry halt to the game and the two teams had to share the trophy.

Sri Lanka will be at full strength for this all important game. The only worry is skipper Sanath Jayasuriya. Reports have it that he has recovered well. However whether he is fully fit will be known only after watching him in action.

A fully fit Jayasuriya will certain be of immense worry to the Pakistanis.

Other than for Jayasuriya everything is tickety boo in the Lankan camp and they are set to continue the same form they showed in Morocco where they made Pakistan and South Africa play second fiddle.

Sri Lanka will again look to Atapattu, Jayawardena, Sangakkara and Arnold for the runs, while the bowling will rest on Vaas, Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando.

It is hoped that the Lankans will also produce the excellent fielding like they did in Morocco. There the fielding was tops.

As for the Pakistanis they are an altogether different team when it comes to playing the crunch game. They are renowned to give of their very best in a do or die game.

While they are individually brilliant, they have not clicked consistently as a team. If they can pull together in this tourney they will be the team to watch.

Of the other teams figuring in this tourney South Africa and India will be the other teams that will need watching.

As for Sri Lanka, the ICC have honoured them by giving them the blessings to conduct this prestigious tourney which has been tagged the mini World Cup. Whether the Cricket Board has lived up to expectations, only the end of the tourney will tell.

The occasional showers experienced shows that the tourney could be hampered to an extent. September is generally a rainy month. The question to be asked is: Why did not the authorities give consideration to the stadium that Thilanga Sumathipala built called the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium?

Dambulla would have been fine attraction to the supporters accompanying some of the visiting teams playing.

Tendulkar misses out

It is a pity that world's number one batsman Sachin Tendulkar, playing in his 100th Test failed to make it a memorable one with a 100 against England at the Oval in London in the final Test. He was out for 53. He seemed to be well on the way to making a hundred when a delivery from seamer Caddick moved in late to have him plumb in front. Umpire Asoka de Silva would have dreaded that moment when he had to raise his finger to signal the batsman out. But there was no doubt about the decision.

This Indian legend was given a standing ovation by the crowd when he walked out to bat. While the crowd appreciated the little man, it was not cricket to note that none of the English cricketers thought it fit to put their hands together or give him a pat on the back. The crowd welcomed him back in similar fashion. Tendulkar is one of the finest gentlemen to step on to a cricket field. His record on and off the field has never been in question. He has always been an example.

When Sehwag was struck fielding at short leg and had to leave the field, commentators Navjot Singh Sidhu and Ravi Shastri were sermonising on the excellent fielding and catching by former Indian allrounder Eknath Solkar in this dangerous position.

There is no doubt that Solkar was one if not the best and most fearless in that position. His record of 53 catches in 27 Tests proves this. Spinners Venkataraghavan, Chandrasekher, Prasanna and Bedi were lucky to have him in that position.

But the man who put a stop to Solkar fielding in that position was Sri Lanka's dashing wicket keeper batsman Russel Harmer.

It happened when the Maharaja Organisation for which Harmer was playing was figuring in Moin-Ud-Dowlah encounter in Hyderabad in 1982.

Harmer played a queer stroke and Solkar who was fielding at short leg was hit a nasty shot on his face and had to leave the field bleeding. That probably was the end of Solkar fielding in that position. But what was great about Solkar was that he did not have any kind of protection like fielders of today do. I was there covering that tour for the 'Times Group'.

Pity on Geoff Boycott

The sad news to come in for quite awhile was that former England opener Geoff Boycott has been diagnosed with cancer. A lump in his neck showed the 'existence of cancerous tissue'.

After his playing days, Boycott proved to be an excellent commentator, on radio and TV with his pithy and expert comments. With his Yorkshire accent he was always interesting listening.

Boycott must take heart and be mindful that everything is not lost. True medical science will help him. But he must take his illness to the Lord in prayer. Prayer can work wonders. Boycott can rest assured that his many fans will be praying for his quick recovery, so that he can be heard once again.

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