New boys flunking first-term examinations

By Jon Bramley

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's crushing victory over debutants Bermuda suggests that if the World Cup is a learning ground for cricket's new boys, then the lessons will be of the stick rather than carrot variety.

Thursday's 243-run victory by the 1996 champions was the second biggest in nine editions of the World Cup.

Bermuda actually made 33 runs more than they mustered against England in a warm-up game by being bowled out for 78 in reply to 321 for six so it was progress of sorts, although such a defeat could hardly have improved their confidence.

Hot on the heels of a similarly one-sided trouncing of Scotland by champions Australia, the results have given more ammunition to critics of an ICC policy to allow as many as six non-test playing nations into the World Cup mix.

They predicted one-sided thrashings and so far those doom-laden forecasts have proved spot on. The world number one team South Africa have not even had the chance to turn their firepower on the Netherlands yet. That comes on Friday.

OFTEN UNTALENTED

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene seems determined to cast himself as the sternest of school-masters to the untutored and often untalented who step in his way.

In 2003, he was part of a Sri Lanka lineup which bowled out Canada for a World Cup record low total of 36 runs and he is behaving in equally domineering fashion four years later, scoring 85 against Bermuda on Thursday.  Continued...