Having fun, on the field and off

Are you married? I ask. "Getting married," he says suspiciously. When? I inquire. "December," he replies. To whom? I try my luck. "To a fellow cricketer's sister," he responds. And that's as far as that innings would go.

The "he" in the conversation is that uncomplicated yet immensely talented Australian No. 4 batsman; Darren Lehman. We caught up with him as he was about to catch some rest at the team hotel, the evening before the final of the Aiwa cup.

"Boof" as he is nicknamed was first selected for the Australian team as a batsmen when he was just 19 : but never actually got a chance at the crease till 1997, in India.

Although a good bat pad catcher and a useful slow bowler , batting is the lifeblood in his game. "I've always been a batsman," he says. And does he have any superstitions? Any special gear? "No," he says, "I just play cricket."

Gawler, a small South Australian country town of 30,000 people is his home. "I grew up playing cricket," said Darren as he remembers his policeman father taking him to his first cricket match when he was just seven. Under the guidance of his cricket loving father who had himself played local cricket, Lehmann junior started up the first steps on the ladder to cricketing success.

The talented young man sometimes referred to as the "young Bradman" next took up playing for a club called Salisbury, before graduating to play Sheffield shield cricket for South Australia He now captains South Australia .

So what does a Darren Lehmann do when he is not swinging a bat on a cricket pitch? He's swinging a club on a golf link! "But I'm not as good as Ricky Ponting, who has a handicap of about 4," he is quick to say.

He also likes music. What kind? "Top 40's... that sort of music," he says.

But this fulltime cricketer doesn't get to put up his legs and rest that often. When he is not on call for the national team, he is in England playing for Yorkshire. Doesn't all this cricket wear you out? " Hey, if I didn't enjoy it I wouldn't play it," he says.

The man who scored the winning runs in the World Cup final, described the victory as " simply great". It had been the culmination of almost two years of planning.

Speaking on the youngsters in the Sri Lankan team. Darren said they were quite impressive and predicted that they would be very hard to beat in a few years time.

What about the Sri Lankan tour? "Sri Lanka is a good spot, the people are very nice," the diplomatic Lehmann says; just what a Sri Lankan would want to hear, reminding me of tactful Australian after match talk.

So what of the final tomorrow (last Tuesday), as the Australians seem set to continue their winning streak. "A 100 in the final would be a great effort," said Darren speaking on his own game; that's the guy for you!

Basking in the sun after a dip in the hotel pool was Colin Miller, the 35-year-old Aussie spinner. He had arrived in Sri Lanka a couple of days earlier as part of the Australian test squad. So how did he feel about his first visit to the island? "It's really hot, I came from Tasmania where it's around 5 degrees," he gasped. Miller who had a very "hot" 97/98 season with Tasmania hadn't made it to the Aussie team since the West Indian tour, before the World Cup. Although Sri Lankan crowd haven't seen much of this strongly-built cricketer, he bowls effective right arm fast medium or off-breaks and has made a big impact in the Sheffield Shield since he started bowling off a shorter run . Colin was born in Victoria, plays cricket for Tasmania, his family resides in Melbourne, his brother is in South Africa and his sister lives in New York ! "I spend my time travelling around the world," he says smiling. He too, like Lehman had started playing cricket at an early age, first playing for the under 9/10 teams at school. "My father was my first cricket coach," he says. After making his debut tour to Pakistan aged 34, he now plays cricket for Lancashire league when not busy with the national team. "Funcky" as he is called also likes playing baseball and golf. He believes in relaxing and enjoying whatever he does. "Hopefully I can get some off time to play a little golf over here," he said talking about his favourite pastime. So what will he do after doing away with playing cricket? "I want to get away from all this cricket for four or five years after I retire," he said. "And try and get a real job!" According to him the most probable "real job" he'll go in for will be as a sports teacher . Speaking on the forthcoming test series with Sri Lanka, he believes that the first two tests "would sort out the way things go." But he adds that it's always hard to beat a country in their own conditions. On this tour Colin hopes establish himself in the national team.If he does get his chance, the turning pitches in Sri Lanka may provide the ideal opportunity.

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