KUALA LUMPUR. Sept 8 (Reuters/ Internet): Cricket prepared its debut in the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday with stars doing things thty are just not usea to -- mingling with athletes from a dozen sports and practising with tennis balls.

The game, rarely seen with other sports, shed some of Its isolation as players checked in at the Games village, which is radically different from the usual comfort of first class hotels where top international cricketers usually stay.

"We have to. There is no other way." Indian captain Aiay Jadeja told Reuters in the spanking new International Zone building next to the 16th Commonwealth Games village where some 4.000 athletes from around 70 nations will stay.

There was the familiar --

rain. But it was rain of an unfamiliar kind as cricket staged its first major show in the tropics. A tropical thunderstorm broke in the late afternoon and swamped hopes of match practice.The downpour also raised doubts on whether the*matches could be played at all on Wednesday, when cricket was scheduled to make its debut in the September 11-21 Commonwealth Games.

Indian cricketers arrived at the TNB Sports Club ground to practice, but had to stand and watch as the rain saturated the ground where they are due to play Antigua on Wednesday. Sachin Tendulkar, one of the world's greatest batsmen, took up his bat and practised his art with a tennis ball under the overhanging roof of the pavil ion.

Asked if the match with Antigua would go ahead on schedule. Indian coach Krishna-machari Srikkanth told

Reuters: "We will have to wait and see about that now." The eight grounds to be used in the competition are spread around the Klang Valley around Kuala Lumpur and are largely untested and some players were far from happy.

"It's too hot." moaned Australian off-spinner Gavin Robertson, standing close to Kenyan athletes singing merrily. unmindful of the humid, sweaty climate. Australian captain Steve Waugh said his team was still finding its feet. "I think we are getting there." he said.

India open their bid for the gold medal against an Antiguan side considered minnows because they represent only a small bit of the strong West Indies. But Jadeja said he was not taking them lightly. "No match is an easy match." ne said.

Australia, the favourites, face Canada in their first match on Wednesday.