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MELBOURNE, Australia, Friday - The Sri Lankan cricketers who copped a barrage of vituperative criticism before and from the time they arrived in Australia and, which is not likely to cease even after they go back, can find solace in the fact that there are some knowledgeable former cricketers who are aware of the crisis the team is in and continue to support them.

Peter Roebuck, Tony Greig, Ian Chappell and Mike Coward are those held in high esteem in the cricketing world for their credibility in what they write and say. And it is this foursome who are in support of Sri Lanka.

Roebuck, an Englishman, was a good attacking batsman for Somerset and it was just one of those things that he was not capped for his country, while those with limited ability made it to the top.

Roebuck in addition to writing a widely read column in the 'Sydney Morning Herald', also does commentary for Australian Boradcasting Corp (ABC). Even on radio he defends the Lankan cricketers and says what he has to because he has the courage to stand by his conviction.

In an article headlined 'Fix this mess now before things get ugly' in the 'Sydney Morning Herald', he goes on to say that ever since the Sri Lankans arrived in Australia, they have been subjected to an unprecedented torrent of abuse from large sections of the cricket community.

Here are some excerpts from that article:

'Their captain has been routinely booed and their leading bowler has been cat-called with unpardonable rudeness. Of course, the Lankans have not helped themselves by playing poorly and their leader has regularly needled his opponents.

'Inevitably Arjuna Ranatunga has borne the brunt of the hostility, a role he appears to enjoy. He is Douglas Jardine without a fast bowler to back him up, or a ruthless tactic to pursue. Accordingly he sets out to provoke. He has been the making of his team and sometimes its undoing. His time will soon be up.

'Unsurprisingly Ranatunga's conduct in Adelaide has been condemned with particular ferocity. Someone said it was the worst incident since bodyline. This is complete rubbish. It wasn't even the worst that night, unless crude, personal remarks overheard on stump microphones, and shoulder barges caught by television cameras, are acceptable, in which case we really are down the gurgler. No one has been called to account for these excesses.

'Someone else compared Ranatunga's finger-wagging with Mike Gatting's behaviour in Pakistan, forgetting, presumably, that the former England captain was given a bonus of 1,000 Sterling Pounds ($ 2,600) after that particular affair and is now a selector and manager of the national team.

'It was hardly to be expected that the Sri Lankans would meekly accept a rotten and ridiculous decision made by an unpire who had previously called the same bowler for throwing in Brisbane when he was sending down innocuous leg breaks; an umpire whose powers of judgement have long been regarded as suspect by these tourists.

'Nor was it to be expected that they should simply shrug their shoulders and accept the removal from the attack of a bowler with a distinguished record whose action has been passed by a sub-committee of the governing body to whom these matters are referred.

'... but the campaign against them began before Adelaide, before the team arrived. It has all the hallmarks of a hijack. These visitos might well complain about Emerson's umpiring and about the rotten pitch produced in Perth, a pitch that cost them their leading batsman.

'Sadly this tour has been more sour than sweet. Now it's important that the air is cleared before the Australians tour Sri Lanka in September. Otherwise it could all go from bad to worse'.

Those were excerpts from Roebuck's article that must be appreciated by all Sri Lankans. Roebuck told me that if the Australian tour to Sri Lanka materialises in September he will be there.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka will certainly have a lot to complain to the ICC about this tour to Australia. Among the complaints should be those about the wicket that was prepared for the Lankans in Perth for their two crucial games.

It was one of the worst wickets seen on tour. It was a minefield. Cracks were very visible even before the games began and deteriorated as the game progressed.

While all batsmen were apprehensive when they took strike and many were hit, it was a big blow to Sri Lanka at the time Jayasuriya got hit, because at that time the Lankans were well set and from the way Jayasuriya was going, victory was well at hand.

The minefield of a wicket had to explode and it did, when a vicious delivery from left-armer Brendon Julian struck Jayasuriya a blow which put him out of the game and the tour and knocked the Lankans who were fighting all odds in an endeavour to make it to the best of three finals.