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Make most of the "A" games
The country's top twenty five to thirty cricketers have got sufficiant cricket since Christmas. This inter provincial tournament was the frist taste of the game at first class level for 2005.

It was evident from the results with many games finishing under three days, the player were still at sea and their feet not planted on the ground. Some very low scores particularly in the first innings when the pitches seamed on day one, it resulted in the batsmen being dismissed cheaply. Even the final was dominated more by the bowlers, with the game finishing under three days.

The two test matches against New Zealand are only a few weeks away. The players will leave behind absolutely hot humid and dry conditions and greet cool autum conditions and a team of "Black caps" who have had plenty of cricket in Australia and at home in the recent months. Add to that they have been playing against the tough opponents in the game. They will be well and truly battle hardened when the Sri Lankans arrive.

As for the Sri Lankans, they have had a few practice sessions, simply sparing with each other and then the domestic provincial tournament. Somehow it seems like a situation where those who are in are confident that they will continue to be in and those who are not simply go along not believing they will get in ! It seems that only injury will prompt any change.

This leaves those who are knocking on the door with one option - to impress when they play for Sri Lanka "A" . They have a big opportunity looming in the near future. Their performance in the first test concluded,, proved just that. They were competent in all three departments of the game and easily outplayed their opponents the host nation.

Some six weeks of cricket which will also involve Pakistan and England. England are bound to be a strong outfit. They are putting in a lot of thought and planning into their adminstration. They have finally shed aside the arrangements that they rule the sport and others should follow. They have taken a cue from the countries that have progressed in the past couple of decades. They are thinking practically on the manner in which the game is being played today and of its path in the future.

They have resigned their past glory to the past and now respect all the top playing nations. It was their innovation to experiment with twenty twenty cricket and this has become an enormous success. The emphasis on a competitve domestic structure has helped temendously. Provided they can cope with Lanka's April conditions (coming out of their spring) they should be a strong opposition.

Pakistan, somewhat like Sri Lanka suffers from the non availability of a really strong domestic competition. With the main players in India with the national team,the second string may not possess too much of fire power. However, the Pakistanis have realised that talent alone cannot sustain a consistently good national team. They will also look to make the most of this competition.

The host team packs plenty of experience. Most of them have played on a number of occasions of this level. Some even at the highest level. It is by playing at this level that most Sri Lankan players develop to take the next step.

Between school cricket and International cricket a number of those in the local side including skipper Jehan Mubarak have been knocking on the door. This time they should knock harder with solid performances and the door will open for permanent places in the national side.

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