Postcard from Sri Lanka: Neil McKenzie
Neil McKenzie - 25 July 2000

Well, we've just returned from Galle, a lovely seaside resort a few hours drive down the coast from Colombo with picturesque views and really interesting people. I'm sure most of you saw the seaside setting on TV as described by Tony Greig on their walkabout ventures.

However, we never ventured to Galle for the sightseeing; the brief was to win the first test match and go one up in the series. Obviously, now that we find ourselves one-nil down, the brief has changed and we need to win in Kandy and again Colombo if we want to go home victorious.

Besides the disappointment, it was a special moment in my test match career, and although the runs I did get were not in the volume category I was looking for, the experience and the level achieved was invaluable and a fair foundation to the start of my test playing career.

We begin a 2-day practice match tomorrow here in Colombo at the Moratuwa ground and are about to head out for practice this afternoon. If all things go according to plan in view of selection, hopefully I can get in some more time at the crease in preparation for the second test match in Kandy.

This test match is the important one for the side as we find ourselves one nil down and we are definitely hurting from the first test loss and wish to make amends for this poor performance. We'll have to wait and see how things turn out.

Off the field, the spirits are still high although most of the guys did not venture out yesterday on our day off. Most hung about relaxing and watched the movie channel on TV while Boeta enjoyed scoobie-doo and friends on the cartoon network channel.

Tonight the social committee has finally swung into action, organizing a team dinner at the Colombo Cricket Cafe where the team shirts will be displayed for the first time. Furthermore, a team tuk-tuk race will preview the dinner with the tuk-tuk winners eating for free.

I popped into the world market yesterday to try and pick up a few items. Bartering is the order of the day, and "for you a special price" was heard on numerous occasions. We came across the latest shoe fashions here in SL. Up there with the Donna Karan's and Prada shoes of NYC were the Jonty Rhodes and Jacques Kallis editions, which could be picked up at around R20 equivalent. Rip- offs with false Rolex watches and Nike or Reebock brands is quite common in the east but the "Kallis" and "Rhodes" shoe editions is taking this a bit far. Perhaps it's a reflection of the declining markets of the "fake" industry in this part of the world.

A few of the boys are starting to show a spring in their step with the visitational rights of some the players' wives and girlfriends just around the corner. Nicky and Nanty have been counting the days, hours and minutes and are often heard early in the morning humming a tune to the sounds of Celine Dion and "my heart will go on".

This is Neil McKenzie (44) signing off for CricInfo. Cheers.

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