Last week in Colombo the Sri Lanka Test XI set a new world record for a Test match score: 905 for 4. After that things slumped badly to 952 for 6, but never mind: the deed was done. What was even more remarkable was that the cricket match stopped a war (at least temporarily): the Tamil Tigers, fighting the Government in the Northern part of the island, laid down their arms to take up their transistors.

Sport doesn't always stop wars, of course; there was that time in the 1970's when El Salvador and Honduras went to battle over a football match. But it is good to think of cricket as a bringer of peace: the Messiah's sport' we might call it And as we all know, God is an Englishman, and cricket is the English sport par excellence.

Or rather was . . Because cricket seems in the doldrums now. Apart from odd bursts of life, our national team seems to hobble from disaster to disaster (even losing to a Zimbabwe team containing part-time players). Most of our schools no longer offer it. Muscle-bound bowlers send down such wild deliveries half the score consists of no-balls. And then we all have views about players decked out in coloured pyjamas rather than whites.

Even cricket etiquette has gone to the dogs. A recent fixture between two 'reputable' public schools led to fighting on the terraces as though it was 'The Kop' . And fielders now resort to a practice called "sledging", something I had never heard of, which consists of harassing the batsman with unveiled insults about his parentage, etc., while the ball is being bowled.

I like to think of cricket as a 'divine game', and the angels round the Throne wearing pads and performing perfect leg hooks. Cricket is complicated, unpredictable, eccentric ("You need five days without rain, and you stop for tea??? " asked a baffled American). Explaining it to foreigners makes theology simple. It can seem unfair (someone complained that England was 'made to lose the toss' each match of the series). It can provide glorious exciting finales - just like life itself

I am fond of cricket (and am very proud that the "cradle of cricket" is in this parish) but I was no good at it. My bowling was bearable, batting consisted of cow shots and fielding was unspeakable. But I was a very good scorer - "the Fastest Scorer in the West". Now I read that the Union of Test Match Scorers (total membership 12) may go on strike for more pay. Heavens above! Truly this is now a godless nation. DS[LBW]