Cup fever veers close to mass hysteria NEW DELHI, May 12 —Eighty-one- year-old Joseph Zakaria, a rubber planter in Kanjirapally in Kottayam district of Kerala has never seen a cricket match. India’s chances hinge on Sachin LONDON, May 12 — India, the 1983 champions, have not yet caught up the imagination of the cricket pundits here who are still hedging their bets on South Africa. Asian tigers may corner glory NEW DELHI, May 12 — In the run-up to the last World Cup of the millennium, the form and fortunes of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have often taken worrying dips, but now they are roaring to rediscover their past glory. Stewart’s role vital LONDON, May 12 — As a past master of psychological warfare, Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga will have taken careful note of his England counterpart’s travails over the past few months.

Sachin Tendulkar (centre) signals he is fine to a supporter, as he wears an ice pack on his right calf after Sachin Tendulkar (centre) signals he is fine to a supporter, as he wears an ice pack on his right calf after picking up a light injury during the cricket world Cup warm-up match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Tuesday — AP/PTI I am fully fit, says Sachin LONDON, May 12 — Sachin Tendulkar today dismissed all speculations about his fitness saying he was doing fine and looking forward to giving off his best in the World Cup starting on Friday.

Bevan tops ratings
NEW DELHI, May 12 — Australia’s in-form one-day specialist Michael Bevan has an impressive lead over two of the best all-time batsmen, West Indian Brian Lara and India’s Sachin Tendulkar, in the overall Pepsi one-day world cricket ratings.

Muralitharan hopes to weave magic spell
LONDON, May 12 — "Diabolical" spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will hold a huge psychological advantage when World Cup hosts England and defending champions Sri Lanka launch the five-week cricket tournament here on Friday.

Julian can swing it Aussies way
CARDIFF, May 12 — Think of Australia’s likely World Cup match-winners and the names that leap to mind are captain Steve Waugh, fast bowler Glenn McGrath, leg-spinner Shane Warne and dashing opener Adam Gilchrist.

Lull before cricket storm in Lanka
COLOMBO, May 12 — Loads of good food and gallons of beer will be on offer on Friday when cricket-crazy Sri Lanka comes to a standstill to watch their team open their campaign to retain the World Cup.

Will S. Africa carry crown under Cronje?
LONDON, May 12 — The South African team set five goals for the 1998-99 cricket season, including winning their first World Cup at the third attempt.

Irina clinches fifth spot
CHANDIGARH, May 12 — Fifteen-year-old Irina Brar is back from Myanmar after clinching the fifth spot in the Asia-Pacific Junior Golf Championship.

Cup fever veers close to mass hysteria

NEW DELHI, May 12 (IANS) —Eighty-one-year-old Joseph Zakaria, a rubber planter in Kanjirapally in Kottayam district of Kerala has never seen a cricket match.

That has not prevented him from asking his son, 35-year-old tour operator Joe Zakaria, to fill out a World Cup contest form predicting who will be the winner of the World Cup. “ I told my father that it was the World Cup for cricket and not soccer. He said it does not matter and asked me to fill up the name of the possible winner. I filled the form for him,” says a laughing Joe Zakaria .

Age, profession and money no bar. That seems to be the clinching statement as millions of Indians across the country, from tea-shop owners to corporate whizkids, get ready to sit glued to television screens to follow the fortunes of their country in the World Cup cricket tournament beginning in England on May 14 stretching up to June 20.

In drawing rooms of the elite in metro cities, in the street corner meeting points of Calcutta, tobacco and cold drink shops in distant Thiruvananthapuram, the talk invariably veers round to the fortunes of the Indian team as the frenzy builds up for the month-long cricket fiesta on television, according to reports from IANS correspondents across the country.

Nobody wants to be caught napping while the World Cup is on. Jagruti Patel, a 23-year-old Mumbai college student has been desperately searching for a summer job in shops that sell television. “I can’t afford to sit at home and waste the summer vacation not earning a penny. But I can’t afford to miss out on the World Cup either. In a television store one has access to different brands of TV sets all the time and that would be real fun and pocket money too,” she says.

In a country where the frenzy is veering close to mass hysteria cricket is not just fun but a question of life and death. India losing out is unimaginable and so nobody is thinking about that. That is why the picture of Kapil Dev holding up the 1983 World Cup on the Lord’s balcony has become an abiding image in millions of Indian hearts.

Especially in Calcutta where crowds have disrupted matches where India was losing. Employed or unemployed, young or old, rich or poor, they are all talking about World Cup prospects and the effects of back spasms on Sachin Tendulkar’s batting form. Even the conductor on the bus from Tollygunje has something to say about whether Tendulkar should use a heavy bat or not.

Mr Amar Mitra, a 38-year-old computer professional who says he has watched every World Cup match apart from the 1975 Prudential Cup says that though he has a television set at home he intends to watch it in the ‘para’ along with hundreds of other screaming fans.

Watching the World Cup in England is what Mr Basudev Sanyal a 34-year-old insurance company employee in Howrah, is bothered about. Sanyal won a Citibank slogan writing contest prize — a trip to London and tickets for a few matches — but realised that he has no passport. “I could not believe that I won the contest. I never thought I will ever need a passport. If I manage to get a passport, I intend to see a bit of Europe also,” Mr Sanyal says.

Politicians are also taking time off. Mr Jai Bhagwan Goel, chief of the right wing Hindu nationalist party Shiv Sena’s Delhi unit who allegedly instigated his men to dig up a cricket pitch in New Delhi to prevent Pakistan from playing , says he will carry a small radio whenever he goes out to keep track of the score. “In case the match involving India turns out to be interesting I will rush home to watch television,” he says.

Seven-year-old Neel Dabhral, an aspiring cricket star forced his parents to buy a cable connection so that he could tune in to ESPN and Star Sports which are telecasting matches live. “ I will see all the matches. I have completed all my summer vacation work,” says Neel who studies at the Delhi Public School in Noida, a suburb across the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. His mother Prabha Dabhral, a school teacher, says that he should watch only the India matches. “He will be wasting his time otherwise. But he doesn’t understand.”

Work and business will become subsidiary concerns for many. Ved Pal Gangia (45), a building contractor in Chandigarh says he has hired an assistant to supervise ongoing projects so that he can sit in front of the television at home. “I have also got World Cup fever,” Mr Gangia says.

Managers of private and state-owned companies are wondering how to tackle the problem of mass absenteeism that is expected during the World Cup. Mr Nitin Vaidyanatha, (41), a personnel manager with a private company in Mumbai says he had a meeting with his superiors to work out monetary benefits to employees who turn up during the days when India are playing. “It is difficult to stop them legally. Some kind of incentive scheme might work,” he says.

Mr Tejinder Singh, who works for a nationalised bank in Chandigarh says he plans to take “medical leave” when the World Cup is on. Public sector companies cannot offer incentives and so it is generally feared that customer services in banks and other offices may suffer.

But nobody is complaining. The thud of leather on willow, the turf-scorching drive to the boundary, a raised bat and a batsman doffing his helmet, another century, soaring hearts, and then, victory. Around such earth-shaking events will life in the Indian subcontinent revolve in the next few weeks.

India’s chances hinge on Sachin
By Harpal Singh Bedi

LONDON, May 12 — India, the 1983 champions, have not yet caught up the imagination of the cricket pundits here who are still hedging their bets on South Africa.

In what is being described as “the open ever” World Cup the critics say India’s chances hinge on the form of its “greatest batsman’ Sachin Tendulkar.

Former England spinner Derek Pringle feels that Tendulkar will have to play “out of his skin as so many hopes rest on his shoulders.”

Enormous responsibility also lies on the shoulders of 36-year-old skipper Mohd Azharuddin who is the country’s successful test and one-day captain but has failed to steer the team to World Cup success. It is to be seen if he can manage it at what is likely to be his last attempt.

Last evening, Sachin Tendulkar hit a blazing 91 against Nottinghamshire in a truncated warm-up match which India won. This win came as a welcome relief for the former champions who had so far been dogged by rain and inclement weather.

Speedster Srinath also had a good outing and coach Anshuman Gaekwad said it was good to have won the last warm-up match before the real thing starts.

India need to put their act together fast. They take on favourites South Africa in their opener on May 15 at Hove.

South Africans have been touted as a highly professional side on the crest of success. “So far they seemed to be in command,”cricket observers say.

Ever since their reinduction in Test cricket, the South Africans have won 63 per cent of the matches they have played so far. More astonishing is their record in the World Cup, where they have won almost 80 per cent of the matches.

Another dark horse in the fray is New Zealand, who have been called a highly-efficient side and can upset many a calculation.

However, the good news for India is that Sachin Tendulkar has been tipped as the top batsman of the competition while Glen McGrath of Australia has been billed as the top wicketkeeper by cricket expert Andrew Tong.

For India, the first priority at the moment is to make it to the super six. Getting past the first round will be tough and could mean sending defending champion Sri Lanka or hosts England crashing out of contention. India are capable of conjuring up the old magic and could end up repeating the 1983 feat to confound their critics.

Meanwhile, it is West Indian skipper Brian Lara who has become the centre of attraction. Manager of the team, Clive Lloyd, said, “Lara has led the side very well. He is going to be around for long.”

Commenting on the side’s chances of winning the World Cup, Llyod said, “it is for him (Lara) to capitalise on the chances he has got.”

Lara admitted that West Indian cricket had hit a low patch after a disastrous tour of South Africa but added, “we have come up with a good performance against Australia in the home series.”

Defending champions Sri Lanka have been clubbed with India by the bookies, with odds on both teams being 10 to one.

The defending champions will find it hard to hold on to the title as they are pitted against current favourites and neighbours India.

If they are to repeat their success they will have to count on the guiles of Arjuna Ranatunga.

Going by the fact that playing against India and Pakistan in the Pepsi Cup in March, they could not get over their problems quickly, they may not even make it to the last six. However, with this team anything could happen.

Another team in Group-A to watch out for are the hosts, England coach David Lloyd is happy at the way his team is shaping up. “I am happy at the way things are going on. We are doing everything we should be doing,” he said after a warm-up match.

The World Cup is back here after a gap of 16 years. England will thus be playing in English conditions and in front of the home crowd this time. But reaching the super six level will not be easy.

This will be Alex Stewart’s last World Cup so he will be determined to do what his illustrious predecessors could not do — that is, winning the World Cup the hosts’ chances depend on the fitness of Grahm Thorpe and Neil Fairbrother who are both injury-prone. The hosts need Thorpe’s consistency and Fairbrother’s potential to sparkle in the tournament.

Nick Night could also play an important role but the man who could make or break England’s chances is Graeme Hick.

Zimbabwe are expected to beat Kenya in this group but then they have to do much better against Sri Lanka, South Africa and England, Zimbabwe’s success or failure to enter the super six depends on the Flowers brothers as well as the bowling of Paul Strang and Heath Streak. Campbell will be desperate to improve on their one victory in the 1996 cup to do that.— UNI

Asian tigers may corner glory

NEW DELHI, May 12 (UNI) — In the run-up to the last World Cup of the millennium, the form and fortunes of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have often taken worrying dips, but now they are roaring to rediscover their past glory.

Though all three India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won the World Cup in the past, it is South Africa and Australia, which are being projected as front-runners for the mega cricketing event this time.

Since winning the World Cup in 1996, Sri Lanka have won 43 of their 81 one-dayers, including six tournaments. However, time passed they lost their touch, and in the last 12 months managed to win only seven of their last 24 encounters.

Besides dismal showing due to failure to click as a team, several top players missed important tournaments because of injuries.

They played with the 1996 heroes for almost three years, as the defending champions did not wish to lose. Then suddenly they realised that they were not playing the right combination for the conditions and campaign ahead. It led to search for players to fit in the new scheme of things, but the management’s attempt to introduce young players into the ageing squad fell flat.

Both on and off the field, the islanders have suffered the worst kind of preparations to the World Cup. Losses to Zimbabwe and India in Sharjah, missing the final of the World Series involving Australia and England, failure to reach the final of a tri-nation tournament against India and Pakistan and ultimately the unpleasant administrative stand off in the Sri Lankan cricket board on the eve of the departure landed the Lankan endeavour on a slippery slope.

Before they take on hosts England at Lord’s on May 14 in the inaugural encounter, the Lankans need to undergo a miraculous recovery.

Otherwise, Sri Lanka have the reason to lose.

Predicting Pakistan, who won the World Cup in 1992, is more hazardous than setting a jigsaw puzzle.

However, their recovery from the lean phase following home defeats last year has been remarkable as they dominated arch-rivals India in the recent tournaments.

The present team, having won 14 out of 23 one-dayers, is in fine form. Much of this has to do with the charismatic Wasim Akram, who has led Pakistan from front in the recent tournaments. His team won even without Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmad.

Ironically, the non-availability of services of Waqar and Mushtaq proved to be a blessing in disguise as it led to the emergence of Shoaib Akhtar as a formidable fast bowler. Though now on the watch list for allegedly chucking, his fierce pace and remarkable skills could prove match-winning, especially when spinner Saqlain Mushtaq also rises to the occasion.

Adjusting quickly to the wind in early May will be imperative, but Pakistan have always played better away from home, particularly in England where the team have rattled many a tea cup.

There, however, is one area of fragility identified among the Pakistanis, inconsistency in the middle order.

Besides, coach Javed Miandad’s shock decision to resign a few days before the team left for England has sent a sign that all is not well.

Based on recent form, India, winners of the 1983 World Cup, is lurking among the underdogs to clinch the 12-nation event.

On paper, the Indian team has plenty of talent, its key players are young but with plenty of experience and exposure in one-day cricket. India have the services of the one of the most destructive batsmen in the game today — Sachin Tendulkar.

However, the country is putting its faith in a battery of seam and swing bowlers to produce success in the 1999, tournament.

What India does not have is a genuine all-rounder.

The major problem which the Indians often face is their constant failure to rise to the occasion and failure to show understanding of the game, and lack of professionalism, which baffles followers of the game.

On the world stage this summer, will Asian tigers suddenly stand toothless or will they roar?

Stewart’s role vital

LONDON, May 12 (Reuters) — As a past master of psychological warfare, Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga will have taken careful note of his England counterpart’s travails over the past few months.

Alec Stewart is vital to England’s chances of winning the opening World Cup match against the current champions at Lord’s on Friday but for some time now he has been struggling to even hit the ball off the square.

The England captain, opening batsman and wicketkeeper did at least spend some time at the crease in his team’s nine-wicket victory over Hampshire in their final warm-up match yesterday finishing on 20 not out.

But his one-day form all year has been dismal and with Nick Knight also out of sorts England have a real problem with their opening partnership.

Stewart depends on timing rather than footwork and at his best there is no more attractive, or destructive, opener in the world.

Ranatunga has kept the mental pressure on England by promising some tactical surprises on Friday. One option may be to swing Muttiah Muralitharan into the attack early if the home side bat first.

Muralitharan spun Sri Lanka to a hugely satisfying victory over England in a one-off Test at the oval last year and he remains Ranatunga’s one match-winning bowler.

With several genuine contenders to win the seventh cup, the battle may go to the captain who shows the most flair at critical moments. An early confrontation between Muralitharan and Stewart could turn Friday’s match.

Stewart has usually come off second best against Sri Lanka and Ranatunga.

He was in charge back in 1993, albeit briefly, when Sri Lanka won a Test against England for the first time.

Then in his first full year as captain Sri Lanka won their maiden Test in England and subsequently Stewart was at the centre of an acrimonious row during a one-day match in Adelaide.

After Muralitharan had been no-balled for throwing, Ranatunga stopped play for 15 minutes. The outraged Stewart delivered some harsh words which were picked up for wider consumption by the stumps’ microphone.

In an otherwise bland diary of his year as national captain, Stewart was critical of Ranatunga’s behaviour and accused the Sri Lankans of unacceptable gamesmanship both in the five-day and one-day arenas.

“Alec Stewart knows nothing about Sri Lanka cricket,” Ranatunga said in response on his team’s arrival in England.

England, with a bottom order which rarely performs, will prefer not to chase runs. But if Stewart wins the toss on Friday he will be tempted to ask Sri Lanka to bat.

Lancashire seamer Ian Austin took the new ball with Darren Gough to great effect against Hampshire, allowing Stewart the luxury of employing Alan Mullally as first change.

Mark Ealham is a steady bowler in English conditions and England will probably dispense with off-spinner Robert Croft against the quick-footed, quick-witted Sri Lankan batsmen and use Adam Hollioake, Andrew Flintoff and possibly Graeme Hick for the remaining 10 overs.

Hick has been hitting the ball cleanly and Graham Thorpe, also in a rich vein of form, will, in combination with fellow left-hander Neil Fairbrother, force Muralitharan and his colleagues to switch their line.

Sri Lanka’s strength remains in their batting with their explosive left-handed opener Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, century-maker in the triumphant final three years ago, and Ranatunga himself.

Sri Lanka’s recent form has been as unimpressive as England’s and a shadow still hangs over Muralitharan’s action, although it would be a brave umpire who found fault in a World Cup match.

Much may depend on the pitch while the pressure on England and Stewart to win at world cricket headquarters will be intense, not least because the losing side will then have a real battle to qualify for the next round from the strongest of the two first round groups.

Teams (from):

England - Alec Stewart (captain), Ian Austin, Robert Croft, Mark Ealham, Neil Fairbrother, Andrew Flintoff, Angus Fraser, Darren Gough, Graeme Hick, Adam Hollioake, Nasser Hussain, Nick Knight, Alan Mullally, Graham Thorpe, Vince Wells.

Sri Lanka - Arjuna Ranatunga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Marvan Attapattu, Mahela Jayawardena, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillekeratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vass, Aravinda de Silva, Promodaya Wickramasinghe, N Handika Hathurusinghe, Upal Chandana, Eric Upashantha, Ruwan Kalpage, Sanath Jayasuriya.

Bevan tops ratings

NEW DELHI, May 12 (UNI) — Australia’s in-form one-day specialist Michael Bevan has an impressive lead over two of the best all-time batsmen, West Indian Brian Lara and India’s Sachin Tendulkar, in the overall Pepsi one-day world cricket ratings.

Bevan’s current good run has earned him 7,262 points and helped him soar past second-placed Lara with 5,173 points and third ranked Tendulkar on 4,984 points.

Tendulkar leads the four Indians in the elite list of 20 while fourth-placed Gary Kirsten (4,671 points) does likewise for South Africa. Australia and Sri Lanka are represented by three batsmen each among those who make the grade with 2,500 career runs. Saurav Ganguly at number 10 with 4,241 points, 17th ranked Mohammed Azharuddin with 3,974 points and 19th-placed Ajay Jadeja on 3,791 points are the other Indians making list.

Pakistan’s off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq is atop the overall bowling standings with a qualifying mark of 50 wickets. Saqlain (8,375 points) is followed by two South African pace bowlers, Allan Donald (8,120 points) and Shaun Pollock (8,059 points).

The three Indians making the elite group are eighth-placed Ajit Agarkar (7,694), 16th-ranked Anil Kumble (7,533 points) and 17th-placed Javagal Srinath (7,522 points).

Umpire Hair gets death threat

LONDON, May 12 (AP) — Darrell Hair has received death threats from Sri Lankan Tamil separatists after the Australian became the first umpire to no-ball Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing.

Hair, (46), no-balled Muralitharan in a Test in Melbourne in December 1995 and subsequently called the off-spinner’s action diabolical’’ in his autobiography released last year.

Hair, currently in England to officiate in the seventh World Cup, hasn’t been assigned any Sri Lankan matches to avoid further problems.

The Australian received a letter posted from Harrow, England, warning the veteran of 28 Tests his life was in danger.

Hair gave a copy of it to the Australian Cricket Board and to the International Cricket Council (ICC). Hair is the only Australian representative in the 12-man panel that will officiate during the 40-day tournament.

Muralitharan is the only Tamil in the 15-man Sri Lankan World Cup squad. He was no-balled recently by another Australian umpire Ross Emerson, despite being cleared by the ICC technical committee.

Yesterday, Hair stood in South Africa’s World Cup warm-up match against Middlesex at Southgate, just 8 km east of Harrow.

The Tamil extremists have been fighting for a separate homeland in the north-east of Sri Lanka since 1983.

The letter to Hair said: "We have representatives of our people throughout all major nations of the world and we will take action against you for what you have done".

World Cup organisers and ICC chief executive David Richards has not commented on the letter.

But World Cup Communications Officer Josie Stephens said Hair’s involvement in controversy over Muralitharan had been accounted for in security arrangements.

"We are aware of the situation with Darrell Hair. We’ve been aware of that for some time,’’ Mr Stephens said.

We’re sure the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) has thought of all the problems that could arise and have put measures in place to deal with them,’’ Mr Richards said.

Mr Stephens said World Cup organisers had been planning security details for the past 12 months with experts from the association of chief police officers, which is connected with London’s metropolitan police.

"We’ve taken the best advice at the top level on security, relating to umpires, players, the whole lot," Mr Stephens said.

Hair was not available for comments.

Mr Stephens also said three recent high profile and deadly nail bombings here had been factored into security arrangements, as had crowd riots during Australia’s turbulent one day series in the West Indies last month.

"We’ve taken advice in light of the nail bombs," she said.

Incident such as what happened in the Caribbean have also been taken into account.’’

Muralitharan hopes to weave
magic spell

LONDON, May 12 (AFP) — "Diabolical" spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will hold a huge psychological advantage when World Cup hosts England and defending champions Sri Lanka launch the five-week cricket tournament here on Friday.

The last time the off spinner played against England here, he claimed the fifth-best Test match figures of all time, taking 16 wickets for 220.

England's mesmerised batsmen, having made 445 in the first innings, contrived to lose the game.

Muralitharan, his side's one top-drawer bowler, will hope to weave a similar spell at Lord's.

England, he knows, already fear him, Alec Stewart, the home skipper, concedes: He is something special. This fellow (...) massively is in a different class. He spins it variation too."

Before Muralitharan came along, there were finger spinners - who sacrificed turn for greater accuracy - and wrist spinners, who did the opposite.

Muralitharan, blessed by a double-jointed wrist, has managed to combine the two. The ball leaves the front of his hand, giving him the accuracy of a finger spinner, but his ability to snap his wrist like a snake's head during delivery provides him with exceptional deviation off the wicket.

England, whose ability to play top-class spin bowling has been likened to the groupings of myopic men in recent seasons, will either try to survive him while living off lean pickings, or attempt to unsettle him by getting down the pitch to him.

They failed, however, to do that in the last one-day international between the two sides. Sri Lanka, on their way to winning a triangular tournament here last year, won easily with Muralitharan taking a match-winning five for 34.

The 27-year-old Tamil from Kandy, who has been signed up to play for English county Lancashire after the World Cup, has one further trump card in his hand.

He knows that Darrell Hair, one of a handful of Australian umpires who thinks that Muraligharan's action is illegal, will be nowhere near Lord's on Friday.

Hair, who believes the Sri Lankan throws the ball rather than bowls it by straightening his arm during delivery and who sparked an international controversy by calling him in Australia in 1995, described his action recently as "diabolical".

World Cup officials, in an attempt to avoid further controversy, have ensured Hair will not officiate any Sri Lankan games in the World Cup.

Others, including England coach David Lloyd, have also expressed reservation about his style. He was called again in Australia at the start of this year but exhaustive Tests by the sport's covering body have cleared him to continue a career which has seen him take more than 200 Test wickets.

For England's batsmen, the only thing that is diabolical about Muralitharan is his ability to dismiss them with alarming regularity.

Julian can swing it Aussies way

CARDIFF, May 12 (Reuters) — Think of Australia’s likely World Cup match-winners and the names that leap to mind are captain Steve Waugh, fast bowler Glenn McGrath, leg-spinner Shane Warne and dashing opener Adam Gilchrist.

It is a fair bet that all-rounder Brendon Julian, who bowls left-arm at a brisk medium pace and bats right-handed, is not on your list.

Yet before the tournament ends with the final at Lord’s on June 20, he could have played an important part in Australia’s progress.

The statistical evidence in the Western Australian’s favour is, admittedly, far from convincing. Unlike some of his illustrious team-mates, Julian’s figures are some way short of startling.

A one-day international batting average of 13.44 and 22 wickets at 41.68 are not the stuff of legend. But it is because the World Cup is being played in England that Julian could yet turn out to be a match-winner.

On days when skies are grey, and pitches have some moisture in them, Julian’s natural swing bowling allied to the seaming qualities of the white ball could see him pose problems to the best batsmen.

He has experience of English conditions after two Ashes tours in 1993 and 1997, plus a season with Surrey in 1996 when he finished with 61 first-class wickets and showed his batting credentials with a century against Lancashire.

"I would love to come back here again. I have had offers from Surrey and Kent so hopefully it will happen," said Julian at Australia’s World Cup base in Cardiff.

"I have played on most of the grounds where we have games so I know what to expect, and that knowledge is always useful."

"In the one-day game you are looking to keep things fairly tight when you bowl. The ball we are using does have quite a big seam on it and is pretty hard, too."

"But you still have got to control the swing, especially with the umpires being tough on wides."

The Australians have used Julian to open the innings — and he has no worries about stepping into the "pinch-hitting" role in a World Cup.

"It can be a bit of a dicey job but I’m there to do a job and try to score quickly. If I’m asked to do it again that’s fine. But one of the good things about this team is that we have plenty of options with bat and ball."

No group of players are better prepared than Julian and his team- mates.

"We have been training very hard and that includes having someone help us with mental skills. Trust me, he’s no witch doctor. He just helps us have a more structured approach to our game," the all-rounder explained.

"This tournament is on a par with the Ashes for me and I can’t wait to be a part of it," said Julian, his boyish enthusiasm breaking through the professional exterior.

It is worth remembering, if Australia do reach the final, that Julian has a liking for Lord’s.

Six years ago he made his one-day international debut at the traditional home of cricket, took three for 50 from his 11 overs and won the man-of-the-match award.

Lull before cricket storm in Lanka

COLOMBO, May 12 (Reuters) — Loads of good food and gallons of beer will be on offer on Friday when cricket-crazy Sri Lanka comes to a standstill to watch their team open their campaign to retain the World Cup.

Offices are likely to close early and streets will be deserted when captain Arjuna Ranatunga steps out at the Lord’s for the toss with his English counterpart Alec Stewart.

The two have traded jibes in recent days over various issues, including the use of stump microphones, and a win in the opener against England would make Sri Lankans more than happy.

Sri Lankans take their cricket seriously and for local companies the World Cup offers a good opportunity to increase their sales at a time when the economy is slowing.

Companies are pumping in millions of rupees in advertising campaigns to entice middle-class consumers into buying their products by offering free tickets to the biggest cricket show.

For those who can afford it, hotels here are offering special deals on the days Sri Lanka play their matches. book a room, get free beer and watch cricket in five-star comfort.

Giant screens have suddenly sprouted across the city, in hotels, restaurants and shops, for people to watch the match while some discotheques plan to open in the afternoon.

"Fill yourself with Kottu Roti (a Sri Lanka dish), hamburgers, sandwiches and many more from our special menu. One-for-one offer on beer to keep your spirits high," Colombo 2000 discotheque advertised. Even free air tickets are available to the lucky ones.

Others will simply stay home.

"I am going to have an open house. Drop in if you feel like, there will be others," said a businessman, who would probably spend the next one month lolling in front of his television.

That obviously creates problems for business in the country.

"Productivity suffers World Cup cramp," screamed a headline in the Sunday Times newspaper.

"There would be more work in offices — calculating statistics and figures of Sri Lankan performances — and less of anything else," it said.

Sri Lanka has the highest number of holidays in the world, the newspaper said, adding that public sector employees enjoy 172 official holidays in the year. They also get 40 days of annual leave, which most of them take.

The only advantage for employers probably is that the matches don’t start until 3:00 pm (1430 IST), which means some work might get done in the morning.

Will S. Africa carry crown under Cronje?

LONDON, May 12 (AP) — The South African team set five goals for the 1998-99 cricket season, including winning their first World Cup at the third attempt.

If the Proteas win the World Cup, goal No 5, it will be a testament to their unparalleled all-round strength.

It all began last September when a second-string South African team beat a full-strength Australia to win the Commonwealth Games gold medal in Kuala Lumpur.

Since then it has won a mini-World Cup in Bangladesh, thrashed the West Indies and New Zealand in both Tests and limited-overs series, and now are the strong favourites.

Hansie Cronje has captained South Africa in 100 limited-over internationals and has a 76 per cent success rate.

The players have started realising that they can compete with the best in the world," he said. "To me that is a major step towards the right direction."

I think we are flying in formation now."

Despite unsuccessful and controversial World Cup campaigns in 1992 and 1996, South Africa has remained the team to beat in one-day cricket, boasting a galaxy of world class all-rounders Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Jacques Kallis, Nicky Boje and Derek Crookes.

Those (World Cup) memories still linger," Cronje said. "Some of the players have played in both tournaments and think they owe the South African people a world tittle."

In Sydney in 1992, South Africa were deprived of a place in the final by default, after a farcical rain-rule reduced their target from 22 runs off 13 balls to a scandalous 21 off one ball.

In Karachi in 1996, after unbeaten in the group that included hosts Pakistan, New Zealand and England, it was knocked out in the quarterfinal by the West Indies.

"If you try your best and you still lose, you can't ask for more than that," Cronje said. "There have been times when people back home have felt that we really could have played a little better and won."

The South Africans have vowed to bid a fitting farewell to the duo of Chairman of Selectors Peter Pollock, and coach Bob Woolmer.

The two will end their commitments at the end of the World Cup.

Since returning to international cricket in 1991, South Africa have won 101 of their 164 matches and clinched tournaments on home soil, in England, Sharjah, Kenya, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Although Sri Lanka re-invented one-day cricket with pinch-hitting, Woolmer has been the mastermind behind a tactical revolution in limited-over cricket, which makes South Africa the most innovative and efficient side.

Woolmer, who took over from Mike Proctor in 1994, has worked hard in turning average players into all-rounders by making them proficient in more than one area.

Boje was an ideal example. He was a spinner for his state and since coming under the wings of Woolmer at national level has been regarded as an all-rounder.

"Yes I guess our all-round depth and our seam bowlers are our strength," says Cronje, himself a one-day allrounder. "We've got to make sure our planning in spot."

South Africa open the tournament on Saturday against India at Hove on May 15.

Wives bow to husbands' craze

CALCUTTA, May 12 (PTI) — With barely a few days left for the game’s biggest extravaganza to unfold in England, cricket crazy husbands in the metropolis do not expect their serial-addicted wives to rise in revolt if they are glued to month-long World Cup action on television.

The men can breathe easy as more and more wives have taken a liking for the game and would probably join in watching the matches, even if it means missing a few episodes of popular serials.

With just one television available in a middle-class Indian household, watching cricket matches at night have led to adjustment problems in many families where cricket may not be the consensus choice.

But this time around, women have shown a willingness to make a little sacrifice much to the relief of their husbands who are now gearing up for interruption-free cricket action on television.

More and more families in the city, known for passionate following of cricket and football, look forward to the World Cup from May 14 to June 20.

"I am not a cricket buff, but I don’t mind my husband being glued to the TV. The World Cup comes once in four years, so I can understand the importance of the championship," says housewife Sudeshna Banerjee.

Sudeshna’s husband Krishnendu, who works in a private company, is proud of the fact he did not miss a match in the last edition held in the subcontinent and plans to do the same this time too.

"My wife did not say anything last time, though she had to miss many of her favourite serials and films. Nowadays she takes some interest in cricket and checks the scores with me from time to time", Krishnendu says.

But the Gupta household has a problem. Wife Geetanjali does not like to miss popular Hindi serials telecast during peak time. This means husband Dipak has to make adjustments as the matches run from afternoon to close to midnight.

But they have sorted out the problem. "I’ll watch my serials for an hour or so. He can watch cricket for the rest of the day. I’ll have no problem", Geetanjali explains.

Dipak has agreed to switch to radio commentary during that period. "It’s just a question of an hour or so. I can manage."

But if Tendulkar is batting, there is no chance of parting with the TV’’, he declares.

Samir Kar, a software engineer with a multinational firm, has already begun working his magic by buying a few gifts for wife Deepa, who regularly watches late night Bengali movies. The trick seems to have worked and Samir expects to watch cricket without any protests.

A sports scribe with a leading English daily, S. Sabanayakan, has never faced problems watching too much cricket as his doctor wife Kausalya has been very understanding.

"Being a sports reporter, he has to watch the matches. Sometimes, I also see matches involving India. We never have problems about watching cricket", Kausalya says.

The story in the Kothari household is a bit different. The entire family is cricket-crazy.

"We are all crazy about cricket. My wife Neha was not so earlier, but the mood is contagious. My two sons are eagerly awaiting for the World Cup to begin", says Brijmohan Kothari.

As a businessman, Kothari may not get to see the match live all the time, but his sons will keep him posted on his mobile phone.

The popularity of cricket in the country has soared over the past few years, thanks to live telecast and advertisements featuring cricket stars.

With more and more families getting hooked to the cricket fever, India’s fortunes in the last World Cup of the millennium will certainly be followed more closely and passionately this time.

I am fully fit, says Sachin

LONDON, May 12 (PTI) — Sachin Tendulkar today dismissed all speculations about his fitness saying he was doing fine and looking forward to giving off his best in the World Cup starting on Friday.

Tendulkar, who made a polished 91 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge yesterday, said there was nothing wrong with his left calf, a blow which saw him miss out on fielding during the hosts’ batting.

"I am fully fit. I did not take the field since I needed to put ice pack and ensure that no blood clot takes place," said Tendulkar assuringly, in his typical quiet and confident manner.

Sampras, Graf struggle to
defeat qualifiers

ROME, May 12 (Reuters): Defending champion Marcelo Rios tumbled out of the Italian Open in the first round yesterday but world number two Pete Sampras fought back from the brink of defeat to clinch a third-set decider on a tie-break.

Rios, jaded after a five-set victory in the German Open final on Sunday, never found his rhythm on Rome’s slow red clay and was beaten 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 by German qualifier David Prinosil.

The Chilean looked destined to lose in straight sets when he trailed 3-5 in the second set with Prinosil to serve but produced his trademark fluid baseline game to take the next five games.

Prinosil was 0-30 down in the opening game of the third set but served his way out of trouble and then, after a three-minute medical break for a back and neck massage, broke serve and kept his nerve to clinch his biggest victory to date.

Rios admitted he had underestimated his opponent, who had fallen at the first hurdle on clay in Hamburg.

Sampras, the last Italian Open champion to fall in the first round of his title defence - in 1995 - toyed with an early exit again before drawing on his awesome serve-and-volley game to beat Czech Bohdan Ulihrach 3-6, 6-2, 7-6.

The American had not played a singles match since March 23 due to a back injury and looked understandably rusty in losing the opening set 3-6 on a sunny centre court at the Foro Italico.

He found his rhythm to take the next 6-2 but floundered at 3-5 down in the final set with Ulihrach to serve.

Sampras produced an aggressive backhand volley and a brilliant crosscourt forehand to break the Czech to 30 and the forced a tie-break, which he won 7-2 thanks to a scorching forehand return and aces on the fifth and sixth points.

The No 2 seed, who is still seeking his first ATP tour win of the season as he gears up for another assault on the French Open, will meet Brazilian Fernando Meligeni next.

Another serve-and-volley specialist, ninth seed Australian Marc, Philippoussis, crashed out to Vincent Spadea of the USA, ranked 27th in the world.

Philippoussis’s booming serve helped him to a tie-break in the first set and gave him the second set 6-4 but he fell apart in the final set to lose it 1-6.

Fifth seed and former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek was pushed to three sets before overcoming American Jan Michael Gambill 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 while Britain’s seventh seed Tim Henman overcame Czech Daniel Vacek 7-5, 6-3.

French Open champion and sixth seed Carlos Moya won the evening game against Italy’s Renzo Furlan 6-2, 6-4 but his compatriot, 13th seed Spaniard Albert Costa, lost 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 to Wayne Ferreira of South Africa.

BERLIN: German legend Steffi Graf, playing the 1000th singles match of her career, almost spoiled the celebrations to mark the occasion when she struggled to overcome Yugoslav qualifier Sandra Nacuk in the second round of the German Open.

Third-seeded Graf eventually survived 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 but there were first-round defeats for ninth seeded Russian Anna Kournikova, who lost a marathon battle with American Mary Joe Fernandez 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-7, (6/8) and 10th seed Amanda Coetzer of South Africa, who fell 4-6, 1-6 to Slovakia’H Nenrieta Nagyova.

However, there was victory for 12th seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France, who began her first week in the world’s top 10 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Swiss qualifier Emmanuelle Gagliardi.

Defeat for Graf by 18-year-old Nacuk, from Monica Seles’ home town of Novi Sad, would have marked arguably the lowest point in her distinguished career, following what was already the worst loss she has suffered, in her last match on the same court two years ago.

It was then, in the quarterfinals, that she fell 0-6, 1-6 to Coetzer. Graf had failed to hold serve at all in the first set, losing the first game with four forehand errors and a double-fault.

And it didn’t get much better, struggling to find any touch or rhythm and with her famed forehand all over the place, Graf went down 0-3 when Nacuk cleverly pulled her wide to force a netted backhand.

In the second set, Graf became more aggressive and reduced her unforced errors, to at least compete on level terms. With Graf leading 2-1, 30-30, rain forced the players off court, and when they returned a single break of serve for 4-2, on the second of only two break points, earned Graf the set.

In the third set, Graf’s inconsistency again gave Nacuk the upper hand.

With the Yugoslav leading 1-0, Graf had to hold her off by winning a 17 stroke rally and then scrambling to reach a dropshot to prevent Nacuk breaking for 2-0.

As more light rain fell, Nacuk broke to love to lead 3-1, but Graf responded by winning the next four games to lead 5-3. Still Nacuk refused to concede, firing her forehand and mixing up her game, but Graf held on.

Graf had not played for six weeks, since losing to Venus Williams in the semifinals of the Lipton Championships in late March. She pulled out of Germany’s Federation Cup tie against Japan two weeks ago with a foot injury.

Irina clinches fifth spot
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 12 — Fifteen-year-old Irina Brar is back from Myanmar after clinching the fifth spot in the Asia-Pacific Junior Golf Championship.

A class X student of Vivek High School, Irina was a happy girl as she talked to The Tribune about her performance. She would have done much better had she not been playing of the last day running a temperature of 102 degrees. But she went ahead and played a nine-over card of 81. Her first day's card was 76 followed by a round of 80 on the second day.

The challenging course and tough greens did not stop her. She braved the heavy winds and the inclement weather.

The Korean girls dominated the show with Munyun Hee clinching the title.

Irina clinched the third spot in the subjunior event of the same championship last year. Parnita also won the third spot in the junior event last year.

What about her studies? She is quick to answer that she is a topper in her class scoring 90 per cent marks. Her mother, Madhu Brar, was a state level table tennis player and was a topper in sociology in BA.

Now that she has had her brush with the top juniors of the Asia-Pacific, Irina is all set to make it to the top in the next year's championship.

The other two girls from India Ayesha Kapur from Delhi and Guneet Raikhy from Chandigarh dropped out because of fever.