Coca-Cola Cup final offers hope of temporary relief

Notwithstanding some pyrotechnics from Virender Shewag and the possibility of an epic clash between India and Sri Lanka in the final of the Coca-Cola Cup on Sunday, this triangular series will not remembered for the cricket, which has been overshadowed by events off the field.

It did not make an auspicious start two weeks ago when opposition supporters decided to stage anti-government rally in Colombo to protest at the President Chandika Kumaratunga's decision to suspend parliament.

Practices were interrupted and the New Zealand team saw the tension first hand when their bus mistakenly turned down a road full of protesters, who were being beaten back by tear gas.

The Indian and Kiwi captains played down the affair. Sourav Ganguly declared that they "were used to it in Sri Lanka" and Stephen Fleming diplomatically said they felt "perfectly safe."

Meanwhile a row over the non-payment of the construction company that built the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium eventually led to political authorities canceling the three matches in Dambulla because of the risk of `sabotage' in spite of repeated assurances from the constructors that they had no intention of interrupting the games.

The decision dealt a cruel blow to the series by forcing the poor Premadasa curator to re-use already dusty pitches to cater for the extra games. The resulting pitches produced dour cricket and low totals.

The Kiwis opted for a spot of fresh air in the hills and headed off for a four-day break in Kandy. Unfortunately they returned clutching their stomachs, as a bout of food poisoning ran through the team, including their captain.

When LTTE cadres attacked the international airport and Air Force base, the whole tournament was thrown into doubt, as CNN pictures flashed around the world to concerned wives and families. Again, the managers and captains pledged their support after assurances from the Sri Lankan board, but they really had little option anyway, as the airport was closed.

In such a climate it was perhaps unsurprising that attendances at the games were shockingly low. One can understand small crowds in the New Zealand-India games, but not in the Sri Lankan day night matches which are usually packed to the rafters.

Sri Lankans, it seems, have other things on their minds and live cricket, normally a tonic for such societal slumps, took a back seat. Colombo residents are short of cash at the moment and with the airport bombings threatening to send the already bruised economy into a nosedive, they may have preferred to save their rupees for more essential expenditure.

With evening power cuts apparently increasing the incidence of burglaries and an air of instability hanging heavy in the air, cricket fans clearly opted for the safety of their homes, where they could be whisked away into a wonder world, as Navjot Sidhu's recommended one used a `long spoon when eating with the devil' or sagely pointed out that a `cow produces more than butter.'

Generally Sidhu's colourful commentary has been contrasted by some dour cricket, though, thankfully, there have been some moments to cherish: two pugnacious hundreds by Nathan Astle, a match winning performance by rookie allrounder Suresh Perera, a belligerent innings by Yuvraj Singh against Sri Lanka, and an astonishing 69-ball hundred from Virender Sehwag.

Let's hope then that the tournament ends on a high and that the cricket finally takes centre stage. In such troubled times, the value of cricket is clearly put into perspective, but tomorrow's final at least offers Sri Lankans an opportunity to temporarily forget their problems.