SHARJAH, December 10: "We have come here to learn." The last time we heard this line was in the 50s and 60s when successive Indian managers and captains used it on their team's arrival in England. However, this time around, it is not an Indian mouthing these words. Rather, this is the stand taken by the England skipper and manager!

On the eve of the Akai-Singer Champions Trophy at this cricketing outpost, the teams for the tournament's opener, India and England, look totally mismatched.

England, with a host of new faces are a green horn side. On the other hand, the Indian team, fresh from its home series against Sri Lanka, is match-fit and flush with experience. Thus, if the Indians feel they cannot lose, the English team believes it has nothing to lose.

England's inexperience starts at the top. Their skipper Adam Hollioake has played just five one-dayers and two Tests. But in keeping with England's line of separate teams for Tests and one-dayers, the 26-year-old has been given the reins in the hope that he builds a crack outfit for the 1999 World Cup in England.

"Our aim is to have a top side by 1999. It is one of the reasons why we have brought a young and inexperienced team here," Hollioake announced. "This is a learning period for us. We are the least prepared of the four teams in the competition. That is because the others -- India, Pakistan and the West Indies -- are match fit. On the other hand, we have not played any cricket for close to four months prior to this tour. But what we have on our side is enthusiasm and the fact that we are a pure one-day team."

Indeed this England team has any number of bits-and-pieces players. Dougie Brown, Mark Ealham and Mathew Fleming add to the number of all-rounders in the team. Adam, his brother Ben and Graeme Hick too, are all-rounders. Fleming, who came into the side after the withdrawal of Darren Gough, is reputed to be a clean striker of the ball. The former military man can also chip in with a bit of medium pace.

England, who have played just 10 one-dayers this year as compared to India and Pakistan who have each played 33, came out of their hibernation early this month when they stopped over in Pakistan to play three friendly matches against a Pakistan B team (veteran Majid Khan scored a 50 against them).

Last here in Sharjah 10 years ago, England acknowledge that they are short of match practice. However, their captain insists that Pakistan is the team to beat.

India have not named their playing eleven, but in all probability might omit two batsmen and a medium pacer from the squad of 14. Rahul Dravid, Vinod Kambli and Abey Kuruvilla are the players who may sit out.

Paceman Javagal Srinath who succesfully made a comeback into the national Test team would be returning to one-day cricket after a long gap. The success of the team depends on his ability to get his moorings right in this style of the game.

The rejuvenated Navjot Sidhu, who seems to have found the elixir of youth, also returns to one-day cricket after a long hiatus. He would open the batting with Ganguly while skipper Tendulkar would bat lower in the order.

Pointers are that India should have little trouble running over this England team. But strange things have happened in cricket. The expatriates, however, would not be bothered. For them the only match that matters is the India vs Pakistan tie.

The teams (from) England: Adam Hollioake (captain), Alec Stewart, Alistair Brown, Dougie Brown, Mark Elham, Graeme Hick, Peter Martin, Ashley Giles, Robert Croft, Mathew Fleming, Nick Knight, Graham Thorpe, Ben Hollioake and Dean Headley.

India: Sachin Tendulkar (captain), Mohammed Azharuddin, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Rahul Dravid, Syed Saba Karim, Ajay Jadeja, Anil Kumble, Saurav Ganguly, Abey Kuruvilla, Rajesh Chauhan, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Robin Singh and Vinod Kambli.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.