Bopara belief points to England debut

Anyone spending time in the 22-year-old's company will soon discover that he must have been bouncing around at the front of the queue when enthusiasm and selfbelief were handed out.

Having been regarded as an outsider for the vacant No 6 batting place in England's top order at the start of this trip, he has overtaken the senior contender, his friend Owais Shah, partly through sterling performances and partly thanks to the sheer force of his energetic nature.

The prospect of making a first Test appearance against the aggressive, spiky Sri Lankans in Muttiah Muralitharan's home town would cause the odd tremor of uncertainty in most young players.

Not Bopara. As an insight into the Londoner's armour-plated confidence, take this description of his pre-tour planning.

"I've come away with the attitude that I am going to play in all three Tests, no matter what, so I'd better get used to it and enjoy it," he said yesterday, after arriving in Kandy with the rest of the squad via the local elephant orphanage.

"I think you have to come away thinking you are going to play anyway.

"I don't know how big the step is from County Championship to Test cricket because I haven't played Test cricket yet. Hopefully, in the near future, I should find out. I don't have any doubts."

In fact, "no doubts" could be his motto. Bopara's encouraging display of a positive mental attitude also took in an assessment of the threat posed by Murali, who needsfive wickets at the familiar Asgiriya Stadium, where he has performed so many miraculous deeds, to break Shane Warne's world-record Test tally of 708.

Asked if he is ready for the Muralitharan challenge, Bopara said: 'Why not? I have been asked to come away on a Test tour. If I wasn't good enough, I wouldn't be here.

"Obviously, Murali is a difficult man to play against and there is a lot of talk about him, but people tend to forget there is another bloke who has to bowl from the other end. So there are places to score."

There was a vivid illustration of Bopara's infectious confidence during the recent first-class match against a President's XI in Colombo. Moments after arriving at the crease and having played just one scoring shot, he lofted a ball from Jehan Mubarak over mid-on for six.

His description of the moment was revealing. "I was watching it from the side and he (Mubarak) was throwing it up quite high, it was turning and some of our guys were getting hit on the pads," said Bopara. "Mid-on was still up and I thought, 'Would Graham Gooch be blocking this and patting it back like that?' That was the first thing that came into my mind. Then I thought, 'England's greatest batsman wouldn't do that, he would launch it back over the bowler's head, so why not?"'

While Bopara has hit the ground running during the two warm-up matches here — scoring runs with a flourish, taking catches, taking wickets, even taking the new ball, Shah has appeared less at ease, less able to impose himself on proceedings.

The Middlesex player has the greater batting pedigree and performed with distinction on his own Test debut in India last year.

He may be the one better equipped to withstand Murali and Co, but he offers less as a fielder and bowler.

This is an amicable rivalry, as Bopara explained: "We're good mates and I have always thought he is one of the best players on the county circuit, with a lot of talent and a lot of belief. If it's between me and him and he gets selected, I hope he goes out and scores as many runs as he can for England. If it's myself, then hopefully I will go out and do exactly the same."

■ENGLAND last night insisted they would be proceeding with their tour as planned after consultations with the Foreign Office following two bomb blasts in Colombo.

The explosions, killing 17 people and wounding 22 others, took place not long after the squad had left the capital for Kandy.

Despite the continuing bloody civil war between government forces and the Tamil Tigers, England have been advised that there is no evidence of greater risk to their own safety.

However, it is understood that, privately, the Sri Lankan authorities are fearful of further bombings, which they realise could put the tour in jeopardy.