Healy magic moment

From the Sydney Morning Herald's The Tonk blog:

Fifteen years and 702 Test wickets have passed since Muttiah Muralitharan made his Test debut against Australia in Colombo, but Ian Healy remembers the occasion well. When Muralitharan was introduced into the attack for the first time, the then Australian wicketkeeper was positioned at the non-striker's end as Border took strike. According to Healy, Border played and missed throughout the over, then sought a centre wicket conference to discuss the rookie "leg spinner" and his unorthodox action. "Umm, I think he's an offie, mate," Healy retorted, much to Border's bemusement.

Teachings and tuk-tuks

It is exam season here in Nagpur and crowds are expected to be low for the first three days of the first Test. Apparently no one thought of delaying the Test match so that local kids could come and watch their heroes, who themselves rarely make it to these parts.

But a heart-rending exam story reaches Nobok of one tribal woman in West Bengal who went into labour the night before she was due to take her final examinations last week.

She duly delivered her first born but was then so eager to pursue her career dreams that she asked medical staff if she could take her seat for her second paper, a mere hour after being unconscious in hospital.

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Auto-rickshaws, the cheap three-wheeled form of transport, are second to motorbikes on the roads in these parts. It's the same in Mumbai, the Bollywood capital of the world, where rickshaws are restricted to the suburbs by the exhilarating chaos of rush-hour in the city.

This diary is also surprised to report a lack of congenial banter with rickshaw drivers. Maybe it's just Nagpur but it made me recall a trip to Colombo and a drive with one of the capital's famed tuk-tuk drivers there. The Sri Lankan's three-wheeler was emblazoned with stickers bearing catchphrases like 'Luv-erly Jub-erly' and, along the way, he asked for details of the latest episode of Blind Date, and if Les and Judie got on during their date in Lanzarote.

Cricket World's Island Diary No.6

Match referee Clive Lloyd was featured on national radio's SLBC at the weekend during the island's popular programme 'Melodies and Memories' - similar to the BBC's Desert Island Discs. Hailing from Jamaica, along with Sky Sports' Michael Holding and umpire Steve Bucknor, the former West Indian legend was understood to be delighted at being asked to pick his favourite numbers. His selection included hits from Calypso king Johnny Mathis like 'Banana Boat Song' and 'Beautiful Parakeet'. One of the programme producers is Bertram Jayasuriya, inventor of the 'Catch It' Fielding machine, which would have been a great early Christmas present for the England team.

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By walking into the SSC grounds on the first day of the final Test here in Colombo, Irishman John Woods had finished what he set about achieving - visiting all 57 Test grounds in a year and a day. Woods says the idea was first conceived when he decided to travel to watch the Windies-Australia series in 1995, which was hanging in the balance at 1-1, after a few drinks down his local. Woods' journey this year has seen him take in 16 Test matches and 40 ODIs.

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Whenever a touring team comes to Sri Lanka, one cafe can be sure of custom. The Cricket Club Cafe in Colombo has for the past month been home to England's Barmy Army as well as being popularised by Sri Lanka's ex-pats. Inside, the Long Room and Bradman Bar walls are filled with newspaper clippings, past scorecards and scorecards from around the world. On the menu, you can choose from the Courtney Colada, Viv Veggie Burger or fan favourite Botham Burger.

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The same could be said for Beach Wadiya, revered among Sri Lankans as one of the best fish restaurants in the capital. Looking forward to a crab dish, Cricket World was told that most of the fish dishes had all gone after a particularly busy afternoon from one table. Speaking to Olwyn, the congenial owner of 30 years, it emerged that the Sky Sports team including one IT Botham had enjoyed a long meal earlier in the day.

Cricket World's Island Diary No.5

Situated next door to the SSC grounds, where the final Test is being played in Colombo, lies the Nondescripts Cricket Club, Currently in its 115th year, the club may only rank as the fourth oldest in Sri Lanka but it certainly has one of the prettiest pavilions. Watching a game with the fans slowly rotating, gin and tonic in hand and 'walking Wisden' Leo Wijesinghe talking history was pretty memorable too. The club also has a fine tradition of grooming players towards the Sri Lankan Test side. These have included Aravinda De Silva, Hashan Tillakaratne and present club captain Russel Arnold.

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Kandy's tuk-tuk drivers certainly knew the British art of converation with the city's cool climate and 'Manchester of Sri Lanka' tag. As well as the weather being a topic of front-seat chat, one English supporter was surprised to be asked how television's Coronation Street and Blind Date were doing. This particular driver happily regaled his favourite Cilla moment when Richard from Oldham picked his choice before taking her on a week's trip to Malta.

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With Colombo knee-deep in blow-up Santa's, Cricket World was unsurprised to be handed a leaflet - after a particularly sweltering first day's play at the SSC Grounds - advertising the capital's first ever Snow City. Outlining snow games, playing with snow and Christmas Carols as some of the activities on show, Sri Lankan children should be guaranteed a good time. And Cricket World notes that families could save up to 100 rupees (60p) if children are less than four feet tall.

Cricket World's Island Diary No.4

The Asgiriya Stadium is staffed with knowledgable employees to help keep avid cricket fans up to date in the Test match. Unlike in Galle, there is a public announcer with details at each fall of wicket as well as landmark statistics. But it is the scoreboard operators that provoke more interest where around six young staff are manned. 24-year-old chief operator Naalem has been working at the ground for 12 years and his love for the game has seen him witness Marvan Attapattu's double century against Pakistan as well as favourite players Nasser Hussain and Chaminda Vaas.

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Kandy, dubbed the Manchester of Sri Lanka due to its indifferent rain patterns, is set to hold two international stadiums by August 2004, when the Pallekele venue, around 7kms from the city, is expected to be completed. Sri Lankan cricket signed an understanding in October with the stadium owners while the governing body is in talks with a foreign bank which would see international cricket being played for the next 10 years.

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Barmy Army rival group 'Wavy Navy', which first could be heard during the first Test in Galle, have arrived in force in Kandy. Although the group will have to wait until the third Test in the sea-port capital Colombo before they will feel at ease, t-shirts have been made and humorous, light-hearted exchanges heard between the two sets of fans. Under the signature 'Why join the Army when you can join the Navy', only around 10 t-shirts have been seen in the 30 rupee (18p) section of the ground.

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Finally, England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's sweet smell of success with the bat may not be down to him bearing the fruits of hard work in the nets. He is also carrying a strawberry logo on the bottom of his bat this winter as part of a promotional push for girlfriend Rachel's new pr company.

Cricket World's Island Diary No.2

Michael Vaughan sent the England rugby squad a good luck message prior to their epic win over Australia at the weekend. Although Jonny Wilkinson couldn't quite manage to knock up a cricket score, England will be hoping for the some of the same during the Test series here. However, the last time England's rugby stars defeated Australia (Melbourne, 25 june) England's cricketers then took a hammering by South Africa, thanks to Graeme Smith's 259 at Lord's.
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A rich or successful Sri Lankan will not always succeed in love, if the families who arrange marriages have any say in the matter. Each week the country's wealthy society eagerly awaits the Sunday Observer - the leading English-language newspaper - on this beautiful island. But on reading the 'Marriage Proposals' section, you would have thought that a person's birth sign was the most important factor in a country where families pay close attention to caste, dowry and education. One recent prospective parent seeked an English-educated businessman for their attractive daughter, adding: 'caste immaterial if horoscope and general background exceptionally compatible.'
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Sri Lanka's betting industry doesn't just amount to how many wickets Murali might take over a Test series. Giant satellite dishes are popping up all over Colombo such is the flourishing popularity on many sports including horse racing. But it is not Sri Lanka's top jockeys taking on the pace up in the hill country's Nuwara Eliya course that is the punter's daily talking point, more likely whether Nick Littmoden can keep up his early season form or if AP McCoy can bag another in the 3:15 at Chepstow.