principles of the present invention fig5 shows an alternative protective sleeve 106 for use in place of the protective sleeve 58 of fig1 due to a unique configuration thereof protective sleeve 106 may be utilized in the slurry delivery apparatus 10 without a sacrificial insert disposed therein the protective sleeve 106 representatively illustrated in fig5 is specially configured for use without a sacrificial insert although a sacrificial insert may be used with the protective sleeve without departing from the principles of the present invention a portion 108 of the protective sleeve 106 has four longitudinally extending and circumferentially spaced columns 110 composed of a series of axially spaced and variously shaped outlet openings or apertures 112 only three of such columns of apertures being visible in fig5 the columns 110 are aligned so that when the protective sleeve 106 is operatively installed in the crossover 22 apertures 112 are disposed longitudinally and circumferentially within the exit ports 56 see fig6 lower portion 114 of the protective sleeve 106 is secured to upper portion 24 of the plug 26 by drive pin 60 which extends laterally through holes 116 see fig6 lower portion 114 is secured to apertured portion 108 at interface 118 by a method such as welding lower portion 114 includes a portion 120 having a radially reduced inner diameter to compensate for the lack of a sacrificial insert apertured portion 108 is preferably made of a hard abrasion resistant material such as tungsten carbide although other suitable materials may be employed without departing from the principles of the present invention lower portion 114 however may be made of less costly and less abrasion resistant material than apertured portion 108 for purposes of economy of manufacture of the protective.