It's a jungle out there

It's been a tough introduction to the England ODI captaincy for Paul Collingwood. Dour defeat to the West Indies before an exultant one against India and then a bump down to earth during the Twenty20 in South Africa.

Over in Sri Lanka, it was a dismal first display in Dambulla. Off the field, Colly has been found in unsatisfactory places in South Africa, while on Asia's teardrop the Durham man has been mixing with all sorts of unsavoury characters.

Writing in a column for fanbanta, Colly has seen the largest ever cockroach, been chased by wild horses, had a bat (flying one) on his shoulder, been followed by a five-foot long snake and been stared at by a potentially poisonous frog.

Word also has it that Colly and co-columnist Ian Bell are being paid per word what it costs to eat breakfast in Sri Lanka. That might mean stretching out a few words to give readers a glimpse of the beauty of the island. Or even using full names. Watch out for full analysis of Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas over the coming weeks.

Dambulla back on the map

Good news reaches Nutley concerning the return of international cricket to the controversial Dambulla stadium, north of Colombo.

The stadium has been starved of cricket for two years after a dispute between Sri Lanka cricket and the country's buddhist ministry, who claimed that the monks who owned the land the stadium was built on did not have the right to lease it.

The usual shenanigans occurred thereafter, when allegations of financial irregularities against former SL Cricket president Thilanga Sumathipala filled newspapers. But it is thanks to him that the ground was built.

It actually only took 167 days to build the 30,000-seater stadium in the middle of the jungle - not bad when you consider it also took 30 days to ship over the steelworks and the project members had never met before.

At a cost of under GBP3 million, it is also a first-class venue with awesome views of the surrounding area from the press box. The Nutley attended the inaugural game there in 2001, when England were shot out for 90-odd. As the sun went down, to the left of the ground hot air balloons ascended over the nearby lake and jungle.

England play a few ODI's there this winter.