Sri Lanka's last hope

Their faint hopes of making it to Newlands on Wednesday week for the final of this Standard Bank tournament rest on how their batting form can cope with South Africa at St George's Park today and Pakistan at Willowmoore Park, Benoni on Wednesday.

So far their batting been in anything other than championship form. Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya have not come off as they can do and the standard of the floodlighting in Paarl also transpired against them. It was about 30 percent below the lux level permitted for television needs. Like the Sri Lankans, however, the TV team manfully battled natural and unnatural disasters.

Little wonder their batting suffered from a decided lack of candle power. It gave new meaning to the phrase, `` . . . and seldom has the Lankans batting been so gloomy''.

No doubt Saturday's disaster for Pakistan in East London again stirred the dying embers of Sri Lanka's dreams.

Yet you cannot but wonder what Arjuna Ranatunga and De Silva (Aravinda, not Sanjeewa) made of the ease with which Hansie Cronje swiftly dispatched the Pakistan threat. This was not so much brushed aside as buried in an avalanche of fast scoring: sixes and fours were planted among the spectators scattered around the embankment.

For those who still have lingering memories of his half century against Sri Lanka in the second Test at SuperSport Centurion, Cronje applied similar tactics. Although it was done with less panache than the innings at Centurion, it was equally commanding. His 52 off 53 balls with four sixes and three fours went a long way (his two for 17 also played a strong role) to earning him man of the match award.

South Africa's change in batting plan did nor, however, work at all. Jacques Kallis, promoted to open to give Gary Kirsten a rest and Herschelle Gibbs, were sent to a quick shower and Mike Rindel was left the nurse along the innings. Chasing a target of 251 after Pakistan managed 250 for eight, a top-order collaspe was not what Cronje had in mind when he switched tactics.

At 34 for two all it needed was for a couple of batting errors and South Africa would be in serious danger of losing. Only Pakistan's bowling lacks the depth of South Africa. Mushtaq had already returned home and Saqlain had not recovered from the boil on his bowling hand.

It meant the serious shortfalls in the bowling attack has been exposed. Although Abdur Razzaq looks promising he lacks experience. Another problem has been Azhar Mahmood's pace is steady but far from disturbing. A swing bowler of Aaquib Javed's abiliity and a fit Mushtaq would have added the bite needed to beat South Africa.

Rindel's innings saw him reach a second half century in the series: this one more acomplished than the effort against Sri Lanak at the Wanderers. His stroke-play was more selective, and the nature of this particular Buffalo Park pitch, laid two years ago, at least saw the ball come on to the bat.

There was also bounce, which will in the future encourage the fast and swing bowlers. The cabbage patch image is thankfully, disappearing. But there was serious criticsim earlier this season of the former Border coach Stephen Jones spreading sand on the surface to help the spinners.

Steve Elworthy did not have a game he would care to remember and could be rested for Roger Telemachus at St George's Park here today. His single wicket cost him 70 runs off nine overs. Even Shaun Pollock, who top-scored with 66 in the South African innings of 254 in only 46.2 overs, did not appear threating. Sure is was his first game since the Centurion Test two weeks ago and he delivered the odd impressive ball.

Pakistan, however, can count themselves fortunate to reach 250 for eight. Had Lance Klusener not put down Inzamam-ul-Haq when four off his captain's bowling even a score of 250 may not have been achieved. In fact Inzamam's innings was a ponderous affair; not the sort we have come to expect of a international batsman of his calibre.

There were some fine stroke play as there was from Wasim Akram whose form is slowly regaining his old touch. It could be that he is mindful his commitments with Lancashire resume in 15 days time and these games are as good a practice as any you can get.

His 57 off 64 balls is as good as any investment in pre-season training as you could find. But it was not going to be enough to stretch South Africa's bowling resources or fielding. ends

Trevor Chesterfield Cricket writer Pretoria News tche@ptn.independent.co.za

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