Sri Lankans seek more experience

Press, 19 February 1983, Page 60

Sri Lankans seek more experience

By

JOHN COFFEY

Sri Lanka’s standing as a fully-fledged member of the international cricketing club will be further confirmed when it starts its pioneering tour of New Zealand against Canterbury at Lancaster Park today.

In the 12 months since Sri Lanka .was granted test status it has had matches against England. India and Pakistan. But the manager, Abu Fouard, agreed on the team's arrival in Christchurch last evening that Sri Lanka was still very much an emerging nation in cricket. "Experience is what we need most," Mr Fouard said, "and that is what we hope to gain from this tour." The only, knowledge of New Zealand conditions that the Sri Lankans will have before their debut in this country will be a net practice ai Lancaster Park this morning. Mr Fouard said that the team to meet Canterbury would not be chosen until

this morning. His intention was to give all 16 players as much cricket as possible while in New Zealand. If the Sri Lankans are in a new cricket environment, they might well have thought that their trans-Tasman flight had taken them into another world, climatically, too. They left a hot. windy, and bushfire-ringed Melbourne. landing in Christchurch about the same time as heavy rain began to fall. But fine weather is forecast for Sri Lanka's debut in a match in which neither side is at all familiar with the capabilities of its opponent. The Canterbury captain. Richard Leggat, said yesterday that he expected the tourists to be particularly

strong in batting and spin bowling, while noting that Sri Lanka's quicker bowlers enjoyed some success in Australia. T am really looking forward to the game. Our win over Northern Districts boosted our morale and the fact that this is an international match should be an incentive to improve further." Leggat said. Canterbury's form against Northern was heartening. David Dempsey and David Stead had fine all-round games. Peter Rattray continued to impress in the toporder. Dayle Hadlee and Ash Hart injected substance into the lower batting, and Glenn Bateman made a pleasing return.