Batty's coastal drama

Gareth Batty's preparations for today's first Test in Galle took an alarming turn on Monday afternoon, when he got into difficulties while swimming in the sea in front of the team hotel and had to be rescued by two lifeguards.

Batty, who admitted he had "feared the worst" while he was being bashed against the rocks by a rip-tide, was nonetheless able to take part in the final practice session with just a few cuts and bruises to show for the ordeal. "It shook me up at the time," he said afterwards, "but it hasn't affected my preparation for the Test - everything is cool."

Batty had been body-boarding with Matthew Hoggard and Michael Vaughan when the incident occurred. All three players were dragged some 30 feet into deeper water, although Hoggard - the strongest swimmer - was able to kick for the shore. It was Vaughan, who scrambled onto the nearby rocks, who raised the alarm.

"Vaughany could tell I was struggling and was getting pretty animated on the rocks," said Batty. "It was his waving that caught the attention of the five or six blokes on the beach. I know that when you get caught in a rip you are supposed to relax and let it take you where it wants, but it's not quite as easy as that when there are lots of jagged rocks about. They caught me in quite a few places and I have a few nicks on my arms and legs."

It is a notorious stretch of coastline - only last week a tourist drowned in the nearby town of Hikkaduwa. "We always tell Europeans it is OK to swim, but always near the shore," said Wellage Gamini, one of the lifeguards who helped pull Batty from the waves. "The problem was the players went too near the rocks, where the tides are strongest."