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Twelve teams are battling it our for the one-day cricket supremacy the World Cup 1999 in England. Sri Lanka, the world champions will play their first match at the historical Lord's on May 14 with England. This will be the curtain-raiser of this all important tournament.

The decisive factor in this World Cup will be the fielding. The side that fields better on the given day will ultimately clinch the issue.

Fielding can be considered as the most important area in cricket. However much your batsmen collect the runs, the deciding factor will be fielding and bowling. Even a mediocre side can be a champion side if their standard of fielding is high.

As you are aware it is easy to judge the value of a side whose batsman is making runs or a bowler is taking wickets.

It is true that in comparison to a batsman and a bowler there are no facts and figures to support the worth of an outstanding fielder. Be that as it may, top class fielders are of untold value to any side.

The cricket authorities in Sri Lanka, especially the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association, the cradle of local cricket, should take a special interest in improving the standard of fielding from the junior level. If you train them young they will enjoy fielding and this will do a lot of good for Sri Lanka cricket.

In recent times, I have in my column repeatedly stressed the importance of good fielding. Not only does good fielding help win matches but it also makes the game worth watching. From spectators' point of view, there is nothing more disgusting than sloppy and indifferent fielding. A fielding side is easily demoralised by half-hearted and butter-fingered efforts of their team mates.

I remember a much respected cricket coach in our school days telling us ``if you must drop a catch or misfield, for heavens sake, do it smartly!'' The catch-word here is 'smartly' NOT 'sloppily.'

Cricket coaches should not only emphasis on ground fielding and catching in the outfield but also train specialist-fielders for close-in positions such as slips, short mid off/on, short leg etc. Fieldsmen in these positions should not only have guts and courage but also a good pair of eyes, ability to concentrate, safe hand, hyper-mobility and superb reflexes.

''Catch-It''

I recently had the good fortune of watching the 'Catch-It' fielding aid; now available in the market, in action. The creator of this novel contraption is Mr. Bertram Jayasuriya, an Old Kingswood cricketer. This fielding-aid will certainly help turn out, good close-in fieldsmen. It could even help an in-going batsman to get his eye-in.

As against the conventional slip-cradle (slip board) there are several advantages in the 'Catch-It'. For one, you do not need half a dozen or more players to practise on it, even a single player could use it effectively. The other, it is light, portable and, durable. Also, believe me, on the rebound, it comes back pretty fast!