Date-stamped : 10 Apr96 - 02:16 9 April 1996 MAKE NO MISTAKE, SHARJAH ISN`T A `MICKEY MOUSE` TOURNAMENT Iqbal Khan With the World Cup over, South Africa head for the United Arab Emirates to salvage some pride when the play in the three-nations Pepsi Sharjah Cup tournament. The other teams participating in the tournament are India and Pakistan, who have been regular visitors to the oil-rich desert city since the game was introduced in the Gulf in 1982. Nine of the 14-man South African squad head for Dubai early to- morrow morning and then take a 20 minute drive to Sharjah to prepare for their opening game two day later against Pakistan on Thursday. The remaining five members - Brian McMillan, Paul Adams, Craig Matthews, Jaques Kallis and Gary Kirsten - leave on Tuesday even- ing. They have a prior engagement - a golf day for McMillan`s benefit year in Cape Town tomorrow. For the South Africans it will be yet another trying and testing tournament on conditions foreign to them. It will be hot, dry and at time humid - conditions they are not accustomed to and with pitches expected to be `flat` the South Africans could have their work cut out in the short two-week tour. The pitches, according to Asif Iqbal who co-ordinates the tournament are conducive to batting. He said, "Teams have scored over 300 runs on these strips in previous competitions and I believe the same will apply when this tournament gets under-way. "The bowlers will have to work hard for their wickets, but gen- erally we`ll see the batsmen coming out on top providing they buckle down to their tasks." To prove Asif Iqbal`s point, in last years Sharjah Cup final Wet Indies scored 332 in 50 overs and Sri Lanka fell three runs short of the target. This could be the rea- son for Allan Donald`s decision to take a break from the game un- til the new season. Fast bowlers do not thrive on the Sharjah pitches and Donald, who has been South Africa`s most productive bowler this summer, has earned the rest. After their return from the World Cup two weeks ago, the South Africans have had little or no time to prepare for this tourna- ment, but coach Bob Woolmer said: "It`s a tournament of impor- tance - all international events are and this is no different. Its an ideal opportunity for us to find out whether we are doing the right things and whether we are going about our tasks in the right way, considering that we have a busy schedule next season. We will be playing two powerful sides in India and Pakistan and its going to be a really difficult tournament. Though it will be difficult because of the conditions, my stance as always will be to win this event." After the Sharjah event the national players take a rest and then start in earnest for their tour to Kenya (October), India (October-December) and then a back-to-back series against Aus- tralia between February and April 1997. Woolmer is excited about the inclusion of Natal`s Derek Crookes in the South African squad. The 27-year old all-rounder was re- called to the national side two weeks ago after two years in the wilderness. He last toured with the national side in 1994 when he went to Pakistan for the Wills Triangular. "He deserves to be in the squad as he has played really well. I am looking forward to seeing him perform well" Crookes is one of two changes to Hansie Cronje`s squad. He comes in for Donald while Steven Palframan, who was giving an opportun- ity to play in the World Cup, loses his place to "Mr Reliable" Dave Richardson, who has recovered from his injury sustained dur- ing the one-day international against England in early January. After their opener against Pakistan on Thursday, South Africa then take on India next Sunday and will be part of a world record. That will be the 100th one-day international to be played at the stadium - a first for any cricket venue in the world. South Africa meet Pakistan and India for a second time as well. They meet Pakistan on April 15 and then India on the 17 April. The Indian and Pakistani squads show a few changes from the one who did duty at the World Cup. Pakistan will be without Wasim Akram, who is still nursing a side muscle injury and Javed Mian- dad, who announced his retirement after his team`s defeat against India in the World Cup quarter-final. Mohammed Akram comes in for Wasim Akram while Basit Ali makes a return to the squad. India have dropped Vinod Kambli, Manoj Prabakar and Salil Ankola and replaced them with batsman Rahul Dravid, Vikram Rathore and opening batsman and medium-fast bowler Prashant Vaidya. Contributed by Tony.Hassett (HASETT@scientia.up.ac.za)