Unique Test for Akram, Ranatunga

COLOMBO, JUNE 13. Two of the most controversial figures in Test match cricket Wasim Akram and Arjuna Ranatunga have a lot to play for in the first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka starting on Wednesday.

Pakistan's former captain Akram, who arrived here on Tuesday for the tour, requires only two wickets to become only the fourth bowler in Test history to take 400 wickets.

Ranatunga, a contemporary of Akram in many battles between the two countries, will become the first cricketer in the history of the game to appear for his country in its inaugural and centenary Tests.

Akram, who is the only bowler to take over 400 wickets in one-day Internationals, goes into the Test against Sri Lanka with 398 wickets from 95 Tests.

He has a very good chance of joining the elite company of West Indian Courtney Walsh (449), India's Kapil Dev (434) and New Zealand's Richard Hadlee (431) as the only four bowlers to cross the mark at the highest level of the game.

Ranatunga made his Test debut against England in February 1982 as an 18-year-old schoolboy and is currently the world's longest serving cricketer. He has represented his country in 87 Tests during that time, and it will be a memorable occasion for him if he can celebrate his country's 100th Test with a good knock on his home ground.

The match, however, had been in danger of following Sri Lanka's 50th Test which saw only 11.5 hours play over the five days against the West Indies, but today the weather turned for the better with brighter skies.

Pakistan is determined to erase the defeat it suffered at home against the Sri Lankans early this year.

``We have a defeat by the Sri Lankans at home in our minds. The boys are focussed on it now. If the weather permits, I can assure that it will have great significance. We are keen to put the record straight,'' said Pakistan captain Moin Khan.

Although Pakistan's two-day tour opener against a Board XI was washed out without a ball being bowled due to rain, Moin Khan said his boys were in good touch and they didn't need much practice. ``We are ready for the Test matches,'' said Moin Khan.

``It is a big occasion for Sri Lanka cricket playing the 100th Test match. I am very happy to be the captain of such an occasion. Everybody is keen to play in this Test especially Arjuna,'' said Sri Lankan skipper Sanath Jayasuriya. ``Everyone is happy for him and the entire team is supporting him and wish him good luck,'' Jayasuriya said.

He said the loss in the Asia Cup final to Pakistan in Dhaka was only a temporary setback and it was excusable because his team had been playing so well for the past 10 months.

``We want to continue playing the way we have been doing by supporting each other. Pakistan are anyway a tough side whether they play at home or away. But if we stick to our basics instead of trying to do too much, we can do well against them,'' said Jayasuriya.

Sri Lanka has still to decide its playing eleven with a choice to be made between fast bowler Randhi Dilhara Fernando, a newcomer to the side, and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

Pakistan will name its side in the morning of the Test after having seen the state of the pitch which has seen a lot of rain over the past week.

The teams (from):

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu (vice captain), Russell Arnold, Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Mahela Jayawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Muthiah Muralitharan, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando and Rangana Herath.

Pakistan: Moin Khan (captain), Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Wasim, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhanna, Abdur Razzaq, Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Waqar Younis, Mohammad Akram, Arshad Khan and Azhar Mahmood.

Umpires: B.C. Cooray (Sri Lanka) and Steve Bucknor (West Indies). TV umpire: Peter Manuel (Sri Lanka). Match referee: John Reid (New Zealand).

- AFP

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