Hong Kong, October 4: Former Sri Lankan Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne will make a nostalgic return to the Kowloon Cricket Club tomorrow to announce the draw for the 2004 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes.

Although 37-year-old Tillakaratne never competed in the world's premier Sixes tournament, he has several recollections of performing in the SAR.

"I remember playing in Hong Kong as a member of a Sri Lankan youth team in 1987," said Tillakaratne, who also made a stopover here in the mid-1990s and competed in a couple of practice matches.

Tillakaratne, a veteran of 83 Test matches during an accomplished international career that spanned 15 years, said he is hoping his compatriots will receive a favourable draw for this year's Sixes, scheduled for November 6-7.

Despite participating in eight of the previous nine editions of the Sixes, only once have Sri Lanka reached the showpiece Cup final – in 1993 when they lost to England. Their only Sixes silverware to date came in 1997 when they overcame West Indies in the Plate final.

Said Tillakaratne: "I don't know the strength of the Sri Lankan team that will be selected for this year's Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes, but there's no reason why Sri Lanka should not win the tournament. There is enough potential among our players."

Nevertheless, defending champions England and Pakistan, winners in 2001 and 2002, are likely to be installed as tournament favourites, with South Africa, India and Sri Lanka also expected to mount challenges.

Tickets for the 2004 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes are selling fast. ‘Early bird' two-day tickets for the 2004 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes are currently available. Prices have been set at HK$350 for adults and HK$200 for children under the age of 15. From October 16, the price will increase to HK$450 for adults.

Games are played in five-over innings, with each team member, other than the wicket-keeper, bowling one over. The eight competing teams are split into two groups of four and play each other on a round-robin basis on day one.

The top two teams in each pool will progress to the Cup competition knockout stages, while the bottom two teams in each of the pools will compete for the Plate.

The 2004 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes will take place at Kowloon Cricket Club, 10 Cox's Road, Kowloon on November 6-7. Early bird two-day passes cost HK$350 for adults and HK$200 for children under 15, and are on sale through Cityline at www.cityline.com as well as at the following outlets: Hong Kong Cricket Club (137 Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Happy Valley, tel. 2574 6266); Kowloon Cricket Club (10 Cox's Road, Jordan, tel. 2367 4141); Dot Cod Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar (Prince's Building, Central tel. 2810 6988).