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Runs around the world
By Ranil Abeynayake
International cricket is in full swing once again. India, Australia and New Zealand are locked in a one-day triangular in India. The West Indies are in Zimbabwe and had to chase leather for a start. England, as expected are demolishing Bangladesh and thereafter will be in Sri Lanka in a few days time.

The next month and-a-half after teams resumed play, fresh from the break after the gruelling world Cup tournament, batsmen from the stronger teams have dominated. Stronger teams have played weaker teams and that has also contributed towards the bat dominating over the ball.

Mathew Hayden set it up with a six-hour innings where he overtook Brian Lara's individual best test score. He punished the Zimbabweans with some powerful stroke play to notch 380 runs.

This record is being eyed by many batsmen who fancy getting on a good pitch, fast outfield and playing against one of the weaker teams. Will 500 be scored someday? It is not impossible! Particularly should one of the fast scoring top order batsmen get hold of an attack like Bangladesh!

England are having vital match practice in the warm sub continent conditions, in Bangladesh and in turn preparing for the Sri Lankan leg of the tour. Their batsmen have scored, but not got very big scores in the two test matches. The pitches have been sluggish, not really conducive for batsmen to flex their arms. The second half of their line-up have not delivered. Another factor is not scoring as many as they should have.

It was runs, runs and runs in the India-New Zealand two match series. Both pitches produced were heart breaking to bowl on. The bowlers toiled in the sweltering heat and the batsmen made hay while the sun shone. V.V.S. Lakshman stood out. He looked classy every time he walked out to the middle. On pitches that did not have steep bounce Lakshman planted his front foot down the track and hit effortlessly through the ball. His shot selection and footwork was precise.

The sign of a batsman in form. Not only did Lakshman score runs, but he scored them at brisk pace. The selectors made the correct move to include him in the one-day squad and he has been amongst the runs immediately.

The best contest has been between Pakistan and South Africa. Both teams had opportunities to clinch the series. South Africa were inconsistent in sessions. Bad batting in the second innings of the first test cost them the game and Pakistan went ahead in the series.

In that innings all the top eight batsmen got into double figures but could not go beyond 59 - top score by Herchelle Gibbs. That was not good enough.
The pendulum swung from side to side in the second test match. South Africa had a chance of equaling the series on the final day.

This time it was poor fielding that got in the way of a win. Dropped catches at crucial stages helped Pakistan to secure a draw. South Africa fields brilliantly in one day cricket, but in the recent years they have often been let down by "butter fingers".
Pakistan's young players, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Asim Kamal, Shoaib Malik, Mohamed Sami, Dinesh Kaneria, are all improving with every outing. They invested in youth after the World Cup and are gradually yielding dividends.

The test for all these players is when they come up against unfamiliar pitch conditions in England, South Africa and Australia. But for now the progress is steady. The next six months will afford plenty of cricket action around the world. Plenty of runs, more wickets and some close finishes are bound to be on the cards.

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