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.