A humdinger

by Srian Obeyesekere

Make believing can be sometimes best confined to the music world. Not for the world of cricket. That is if one were to go by the nature of the mini world cup. Imagine South Africa 190 for just 2 wickets and cruising along only to be stumped by the Indians in one semi final.

Maestro with the ball - Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan

Then what an anti climax to the Sri Lanka-Australia semi-final. The world champion Aussies staggered with such consumate ease by the host nation.

Indeed, for the addicts a wager in predicting who would carry away the ICC's coveted Champions Trophy would be a difficult bet to take. For on paper there does not seem much to choose between the two finalists - host nation Sri Lanka and India when they meet under lights at the R. Premadasa Stadium today. Certainly, it has been a tournament which some might argue Sourav Ganguly's Indians in fact don't deserve to be there.

That is if the South Africans can believe they lost from a point of victory. Call it Steve Waugh's spell cast on them. that now memorable match which the Aussies ran away with from the hopelessness of defeat on the way to emerging the most unlikely nation to carry away the 1999 world cup.

In perspective, neither Sri Lanka nor India as such look back on past laurels and count victory. The inability of the Gibbs', Kallis', Kluseners, Gilchrists and Warnes and McGraths to carry their sides home in the crunch games must be the best reminder against complacency to the Sri lankans and Indians as they seek to outmatch either to carry away the rewards of a glittering trophy and cash money to the tune of US $ 300 in what is dubbed the most glamorous event after the world cup.

While Jayasuriya's Sri Lankans have evoked a type of credibility bordering on the invincible which they can boast of after crushing the Australians by 8 wickets in the wake of similar fortunes against a strong Pakistan but for a one sided affair against minnows Holland, the Indians have ridden on the back of convincing triumphs over Zimbabwe, England and of course South Africa. Count their luck as they must that Gibbs suffered from cramps, at the end of the day Ganguly's charges must claim credit for a hard fought victory.

Wonderboy - India's Sachin Tendulkar

Indeed, after weeks of exhilarating cricket which has seen the thrills and spills in all its ecstasy and agony, has journeyed to a fitting final. It boils down to the best two making it. It has the trappings of a humdinger before a sell-out crowd from two cricket thirsty sub-continent nations. One bordering the other by the beautiful Indian Ocean. The vociferous Indian fans who have arrived in their numbers to egg on their heroes must make it even in terms of spectator support for the two teams though the host team will enjoy a slight advantage. Reflectively, it has been a tournament that has drawn nations together with fans lapping every moment as much over the t.v. in a carnival atmosphere with most every Sri Lankan cashing on it. Not the least the giant screens springing up from the hub of the city to as far as Seeduwa with beat music keeping fans on their toes.

What must make it a sub continent show is that both teams comparatively lock horns in familiar conditions. The Indians as skipper, Sourav Ganguly and wonderboy, Sachin Tendulkar himself had echoed ahead of the tournament that they feel quite at home playing in Sri Lanka. In the opening berths of the batting department there would be little to choose between the openers though the presence of Jayasuriya gives the Lankans a slight edge for the innovation he carries. While Marvan Atapattu looks the typical anchor man. But the combination of Ganguly and Vivender Shewag who are both bashers of the ball could offset that disadvantage on their day.

Where the Lankan line-up looks solid is veteran Aravinda de Silva forming the backbone at No.4 where he has looked solid. India, on the other hand, will look to Tendulkar to come good on the big occasion. The nucleus runs deep with the inform Dravid with impetus coming in the middle from youngsters Mohammed Kaif and Yuvraj Singh whom the Lankan bowlers will need to check.

In the bowling department that wizard with the ball, Muttiah Muralitharan must surely give the host nation a slight advantage as well in a game that could be decided by the slow bowlers. While the advent of Kumar Dharmasena, who broke the back of the Australian batting by tempting the run thirsty Adam Gilchrist to hoist one to Atapattu after the Aussies had got to a flying start, has added new muscle to the bowling which runs deep. Vaas, Gunaratne, Fernando, Chandana, Jayasuriya and de Silva who mesmerised the Aussies making the initial breakthrough by clean bowling Mathew Hayden for the telling figures of 1 for 16 from 10 overs.

Of course, a key decision the Lankan camp will have to make today is whether they will go with an unchanged winning side which would mean pacie Dilhara Fernando would have to sit it out. But this will be a difficult decision whether to opt for an extra off spinner at the expense of Fernando who is highly rated by the international experts for some very effective fast bowling with the ability to produce the successful wicket taking slow ball which has seen the right armer envied.

Jayasuriya told the `Sunday Observer' that there was the possibility of Fernando making the eleven. A decision would be taken on the morning of the match, he said.

The final will mean much to both teams. Neither have won the mini world cup which has been staged twice. South Africa having won the inaugural event followed by New Zealand. For the lords of the game - the International Cricket Council running the game from the citadel that is Lords, it will be the culmination of a tournament after hectic months of organising strifed by sponsorship controversies superseded by cricket at its best. Two sub-continent countries fittingly battling for the stakes.