World T20, 2nd Semi-Final

India vs West Indies

at Mumbai, Mar 31, 2016

West Indies 196/3 beat India 192/2 by 7 wickets

West Indies Cricket Players:

Brian Lara | Chris Gayle | Corey Collymore | Denesh Ramdin | Devon Smith | Dwayne Bravo | Dwayne Smith | Jermaine Lawson | Marlon Samuels | Omari Banks | Ramnaresh Sarwan | Ricardo Powell | Shiv Chanderpaul | Wavell Hinds | Joel Garner | Andy Roberts | Cameron Cuffy

2006 India West Indies Cricket Series

India in West Indies Cricket Series 2006

Schedule

West Indies Cricket News

India in West Indies 2006

Anil Kumble bowls India to historic victory

Anil Kumble bowled India to their first series win in the Caribbean for 35 years on Sunday and their first outside the sub-continent for 20 years.
The leg-spinner's performance lifted his side to a 49-run victory over West Indies and a 1-0 series win in the fourth and final test in Kingston. The first three tests at the Antigua Recreation Ground, the Beausejour Cricket Ground, and Warner Park had ended in draws. West Indies, set 269 to win, had staggered to 144 for seven before wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin's unbeaten half-century lifted them to 219 all out. Kumble finished with six for 78, claiming the last five wickets after tea as he bamboozled the lower-order batsmen with cunning, varied bowling.

Fourth Test, Kingston, day three (close): India (200 & 171) bt West Indies (103 & 219) by 49 runs

Rahul Dravid fifty puts India in charge

India ended day two of the final Test on 128-6, giving them an overall lead of 225, after they bowled West Indies for just 103 at Jamaica's Sabina Park.
Captain Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 62 but scoring again proved difficult on a pitch offering inconsistent bounce as seamer Jerome Taylor took 3-28. Earlier, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took 5-13 in just 27 balls to help skittle the Windies in 33.3 overs.
Even still, India know that with the Windies needing to make the most runs ever to win at Sabina Park, they are in with a great chance of clinching their first series win in the Caribbean since 1971.

Fourth Test, Kingston, day two (stumps): India 200 & 128-6 v West Indies 103

Jerome Taylor destroys India

A brilliant five-wicket haul from Jerome Taylor has helped the West Indies bundle India out for just 200 on the first day of the fourth Test in Jamaica.
Taylor decimated the Indian batsman in scenes reminiscent of the West Indian glory days, his lightning-fast pace seeing him finish the innings 5-50. Only a typically gutsy effort from Rahul Dravid, and a supporting knock from Anil Kumble, saved the tourists from further embarrassment after they had slumped to 6-91. The Indian skipper smashed 10 fours on his way to 81, while Kumble hit seven boundaries during a valuable 45-run knock.

Fourth Test, Kingston, day one (stumps): India 200 v West Indies

India, West Indies to battle for a win in Final Test

India are once again in a quandary over team combination as they approach the fourth and final cricket Test beginning at Kingston, Jamaica, on Friday with the ambition of clinching their first series win in the Caribbean in 35 years.
The curator of the Sabina Park has dished out a pitch that will be to the faster bowlers' liking but it is still no guarantee that the match will throw up a winner and break the series deadlock. But both India and West Indies enter the fray with the conviction that they have the will or the firepower to undo the stalemate after the first three Tests ended in a draw. The only ones to have gained in the past one month are the batsmen and runs have been piled by tons.
Five of India's top six now have a century apiece under their belts. For West Indies, three of the top six have done similarly though the likes of Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels have not missed the honour by much. Ironically, India's dilemma is not because the team is overflowing with talents. It is because they have a hazy outlook. The fear of losing is bigger than the joy of winning. West Indies Team (from): Brian Lara (Captain), Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Runako Morton, Denesh Ramdin, Jerome Taylor, Corey Collymore, Ian Bradshaw, Pedro Collins.
India Team (from): Rahul Dravid (Captain), Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Munaf Patel, Dinesh Karthik, VRV Singh, Ramesh Powar.

India and West Indies draw St. Kitts test

The third Test between India and West Indies ended in a draw on the fifth and final day at St Kitts on Monday.
Chasing 392 to win, India scored 298 for the loss of four wickets. After the 85 mandatory overs were bowled, Indian captain Rahul Dravid and his West Indies counterpart Brian Lara decided to agree on a draw and end the proceedings. At the close, Dravid was unbeaten on 68 from 130 balls and Yuvraj Singh scored eight from 50 deliveries. Daren Ganga was adjudged man of the match. He scored a century in the first innings and followed it up with a half-century in the second. With the first three Tests drawn, all eyes will be on the fourth and deciding game that is to be played in Jamaica from June 30.

Third Test, St Kitts, day five: West Indies 581 & 172-6d v India 362 & 298-4 (Match drawn)

West Indies lead India by 332 runs

West Indies led India by 332 runs at the close of the fourth day of the third Test on Sunday after reaching 113 for four in their second innings.
Earlier, pace bowlers Jerome Taylor and Corey Collymore shared six wickets to help dismiss India for 362 in their first innings as they chased 581. But Windies captain Brian Lara decided against enforcing the follow-on. VVS Laxman scored exactly 100 but was out in the same over in which he completed his century. Fast bowler Shantha Sreesanth and leg-spinner Anil Kumble snared two wickets apiece in West Indies second innings.

Third Test, St Kitts, day four (close): West Indies 581 and 113-4 v India 362

India 150 for 2 at close on third day

Opener Wasim Jaffer struck a half-century to bolster India's reply to West Indies 581 on the third day of the third Test on Saturday.
At the close India were 150-2 with Jaffer back in the pavilion after scoring 60 with 10 boundaries. Shivnarine Chanderpaul was left stranded on 97 not out when West Indies collapsed after lunch with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh taking 5-147. India need to score 382 to avoid the follow-on, with the series tied.

Third Test, St Kitts, day three (close of play): West Indies 581 v India 150-2

West Indies charge halted by rain

Daren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan hit centuries as West Indies built a big total in the third Test against India.
The home side had reached 420-5 by tea, when heavy rain in St Kitts forced the umpires to call off the day's play. Ganga was bowled for 136 and Guyanese star Sarwan fell lbw for 116 as, having been 346-1, West Indies conceded some of their advantage. Both Brian Lara and Dwayne Bravo were out cheaply, while Munaf Patel took three of the wickets in the innings. Play started early at Warner Park to make up for the three hours lost on the opening morning after heavy rain.

Third Test, St Kitts, day two : West Indies 420-5 v India

West Indies batsmen shine after rain

West Indies made a solid start finishing on 207-1 on day one of the third Test against India in St Kitts
West Indies were powered to the strong position largely by opener Chris Gayle, who struck an incredible 83, that included eight fours and five sixes, before he fell to the bowling of Indias Munaf Patel. Despite rain interruptions, Gayle was assisted by fellow opener Daren Ganga in a partnership of 143. Ganga returns to the crease on 64, a high for him since his previous top score had been 36. He batted for 256 minutes and faced 186 balls while striking six fours. Ramnaresh Sarwan, who replaced Gayle, is on 44 not out. Both sides are looking for a win since theyre both tied at 0-0. The West Indies previously won their one-day international at Warner Park, sweeping the series and are probably hoping for a repeat of that performance.

Third Test, St Kitts, day one (close): West Indies 207-1 v India

West Indies threaten strike action

STRIKE action could disrupt the third Test between India and the West Indies, which begins today, after it was revealed the Windies players are playing without contracts. The West Indies Players Association is seeking urgent meetings with the West Indies Cricket Board before the start of the Test in St Kitts, but claims its requests have so far been ignored. The players began the series without retainer contracts, something WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine claims is causing them great displeasure and unease.
Despite the row over contracts, West Indies captain Brian Lara is hoping a lively pitch will help his side gain the upper hand in the four-Test series. The series is level at 0-0, after two tension-filled draws in which the Indian batsmen had their fill on easy-paced pitches, much to Laras annoyance. West Indies (from): B Lara (Captain), I Bradshaw, D Bravo, S Chanderpaul, P Collins, C Collymore, D Ganga, C Gayle, R Morton, D Ramdin, M Samuels, R Sarwan, J Taylor.
India (from): R Dravid (Captain), M Dhoni, W Jaffer, M Kaif, D Karthik, A Kumble, V Laxman, M Patel, I Pathan, R Powar, S Raina, V Sehwag, H Singh, V Singh, Y Singh, S Sreesanth.

West Indies makes change for St. Kitts Test

Trinidad-born left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed has been dropped by West Indies cricket selectors for the next test match against India.
Mohammed, who was not played in the last test match in St. Lucia that again ended in a draw, is being replaced by Jamaican-born batsman Marlon Samuels. Samuels batting average in past test matches is 28.18. He has scored one test hundred since making his test debut in 2000 against Australia at Adelaide. He last played a test match from Nov 17-21, 2005 at Hobart, also against Australia. India and the West Indies face each other in the third Digicel Test at Warner Park, St. Kitts on Thursday, June 22. The first two test matches have both ended in a draw and with two to go, both sides will be looking to claim the victory. The one-day internationals were swept by the West Indies.
Team from : Brian Lara (Captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice captain), Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Runako Morton, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Ian Bradshaw, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore and Jerome Taylor.

Fast pitch for St. Kitts test

It should be smooth sailing for the West Indies bowlers in the 3rd test of the Digicel series against India in St. Kitts.
This is because a fast pitch is being prepared ahead of the match at Warner Park. And international cricket council pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson, has been flown in to help with the preparation. Atkinson arrives in St. Kitts on the heels of calls from West Indies Captain, Brian Lara to prepare faster pitches better suited to his fast bowlers. After the second test drew, Lara made a call for faster pitches to assist his four-pronged seam attack against the free-scoring Indian batsmen.
The current test series is currently still tied nil-all with two matches remaining.

Laxman likely to be dropped for third Test

The axe might fall on middle-order batsman VVS Laxman as India wriggle out of the holiday mode to concentrate on selection matters for the third cricket Test against West Indies starting at St. Kitts on Thursday.
The Indians might have done well in dominating the West Indies in the first two Tests but the fact that they have not been able to force a victory in either of the matches must be rankling the team management. National selector VB Chandrashekhar stoked the debate on selection with the observation that a third spinner is perhaps the need of the hour, which is a sign of changing times as Harbhajan Singh is now seen as third option after Virender Shewag made a strong impression in the two Tests. Since only hints are dropped in the current Indian cricket set-up, it must be presumed, at a certain risk of course, that either Laxman or Yuvraj Singh will be rested.
Yuvraj has better chances of being preferred over Laxman, although the reasons are hazy. Laxman has played as significant innings as Yuvraj has in the last eight or nine months. Hints again must be used to draw one's own conclusions -- since there is a pattern in obsession with youth under the Dravid-Chappell dispensation, Yuvraj, 'the prince charming', appears to be the frontrunner for the middle order slot.

Brian Lara yet to confirm batting at no. 3 against India

As it was for all to see in the St Lucia Test, Brian Lara has been the messiah for his side, whenever he batted at number three, but the West Indies captain has not made up his mind yet on whether to come at one down in the remainder of the four-match Test series against India.
Asked to follow on in the second Test, Lara pushed himself up to number three and after rain washed away fourth day's proceedings, scored a crucial 120-run knock to save the match. But despite his phenomenal success at that position, Lara wants to discuss the issue with the team management and his deputy Ramnaresh Sarwan, who occupies the slot.

Jermaine Lawson could play in 3rd test against India

The Jamaican pacer, Jermaine Lawson, could be given a call up to the West Indies squad ahead of the 3rd test against India at Warner Park in St. Kitts next Thursday.
The 24-year-old, who last represented the West Indies on the tour of Australia in November last year, has been touted by West Indies skipper, Brian Lara to enhance the squad. Lara has asked his selectors to give him true fast bowlers for the remaining 2 matches of the 4 test series which is tied at nil all. The first 2 tests against India ended in drawn games.

Brian Lara helps Windies to draw

A century from Brian Lara helped the West Indies to bat out the final day and secure a draw in the second Test against India in St Lucia.
The captain made 120 as the home side finished the match on 293-7 in their second innings, still 80 runs adrift of India's mammoth first-innings score of 588-8 declared. Resuming on 43-1, the home side's hopes of batting out the day were hit with a double blow early on as Daren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan both departed with just ten added to the overnight total. Lara completed a patient hundred soon after and he added a further 71 with Dwayne Bravo to put the game out of reach before eventually falling to Virender Sehwag lbw.
Bravo made 47 from 123 balls before he lost his wicket, inside-edging onto his pad and Yuvraj Singh made a smart catch at backward short-leg. Denesh Ramdin (17 not out), Ian Bradshaw (1) and Jerome Taylor (0 not out) then safely negotiated the final overs to secure the draw for the West Indies and leave the four-Test series still tied at 0-0. The third of four Tests starts in St Kitts on 22 June.

Second Test, St Lucia, day five: West Indies 215 & 294-7 drew with India 588-8 dec

Rain arrives to rescue West Indies

Overnight and early morning showers have delayed the start of play on the fourth day in the second Test between West Indies and India on Tuesday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
West Indies, following on 373 runs behind on first innings, were to continue from their bedtime total of 43 for one with opener Daren Ganga not out on 24, alongside captain and batting superstar Brian Lara not out on 15. Replying to India's first innings total of 588 for eight declared, West Indies had been dismissed for 215 about 10 minutes past the scheduled tea break on Monday's third day.

Second Test, St Lucia, day four: West Indies 215 & 43-1 v India 588-8d

India eye victory at St Lucia

West Indies are staring defeat in the face after being forced to follow on by India during the third day of the second Test. Brian Lara's men were dismissed for 215 in their first innings, 373 behind India's formidable first innings effort of 588-8 declared, and then reached 43-1 by the close after visiting captain Rahul Dravid asked them to bat again. Fast bowler Munaf Patel (3-51) and spin duo Anil Kumble (3-57) and Virender Sehwag (3-33) all picked up three wickets.

Second Test, St Lucia, day three (stumps): West Indies 215 & 43-1 v India 588-8d

Windies totter after India amass 588

Mohammad Kaif ended a long wait for his maiden Test century as India piled on the runs against West Indies on day two of the second Test in St Lucia. Kaif, in his 11th Test, became the third centurion in the innings before India declared at 588-8.
In reply, West Indies were tottering at 65/3 losing Lara (7) Sarwan (0) and Ganga (16).

Second Test, St Lucia, day two: India 588-8 decl v West Indies 65/3 (25.0 ov)

Sehwag and Dravid take India to 361-4

Virender Sehwag hit a magnificent 180 as India finished day one of the second Test in St Lucia on 361-4. The opener, 27, hit 99 of his runs in the morning session, adding 159 for the first wicket with Wasim Jaffer (43). Had he made three figures, Sehwag would have become the first Indian and only the fifth-ever player to hit a century on the opening morning of a Test.
His finally fell to Pedro Collins, who captured all four India wickets for 75 runs but Rahul Dravid was 95 not out.
West Indies: C H Gayle, D Ganga, R R Sarwan, B C Lara, S Chanderpaul, D J Bravo, D Ramdin, I D R Bradshaw, P T Collins, J E Taylor, C D Collymore
India: W Jaffer, V Sehwag, R Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, V V S Laxman, M Kaif, M S Dhoni, I K Pathan, A Kumble, M M Patel, V R V Singh

Second Test, St Lucia, day one (close): India 361-4 v West Indies

Heel injury rules out Sreesanth

India have suffered an injury setback two days before the second test against West Indies, starting on Saturday at the Beausejour Stadium.
Sreesanth has been ruled out with a sore heel that team physiotherapist John Gloster indicates the fast bowler will need three to five days to overcome. Sreesanth missed the first two matches of the preceding limited-overs series with a similar injury, but Gloster noted it was not a recurrence of that injury.

Sehwag fined, Lara escapes censure

Brian Lara went free after angrily waggling his finger at an umpire but Indian vice-captain Virender Sehwag was fined for prematurely celebrating a dismissal in the drawn first cricket Test.
Match referee Mr Jeff Crowe, former New Zealand captain, fined Sehwag 20 per cent of his match fee after the player pleaded guilty in a hearing after play concluded in Antigua on Tuesday. The charge was brought by umpires Mr Asad Rauf, Mr Simon Taufel and Mr Billy Doctrove. Rauf, a Pakistani, was at the receiving end of the West Indies captains anger when he snatched the ball and gesticulated at him during the controversial Mahendra Singh Dhoni dismissal on the fourth evening of the match. An ICC statement said Sehwag was found to have breached Clause 1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to the practice of celebrating a dismissal before the decision has been given. Sehwag, it seems, has a special affinity with Match Referees. The Delhi batsman was banned for one Test for a similar offence on his debut tour of South Africa in 2001 by Mr Mike Denness, an episode which threatened to split world cricket. Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya, the then president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, reacted by getting Mr Denness removed as Match Referee for the following Test which, however, was withdrawn of its official status by the ICC. And Sehwag ultimately served the ban by sitting out of the first Test of the home series against England that followed next.

Collins replaces injured Edwards in West Indies Test Squad

Left-arm seamer Pedro Collins will replace his injured half-brother Fidel Edwards in the West Indies squad for the second test against India starting on Saturday in St Lucia.
Edwards strained his right hamstring during the first test, which ended in a draw on Tuesday, the West Indies Cricket Board said in a statement. Collins, the only change to the 13-man squad, has played 29 tests and taken 96 wickets with a best of six for 53 against Bangladesh in 2004. His last test appearance was against South Africa in April 2005.

Antigua Test ends in a thrilling draw

West Indian paceman Fidel Edwards, hampered by a hamstring injury and batting with a runner, and his last-wicket partner Corey Collymore played out 19 balls to deny India victory in the first Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground.
The match had seemed headed for stalemate when the West Indies reached tea on 158 for three, but India applied the pressure relentlessly to take six wickets in the final session. Edwards and Collymore were both one not out at the end after leg-spinner Anil Kumble had come close to bowling India to victory by taking four for 107.

First Test, St John's, day five (close): India 241 & 521-6 dec draw with West Indies 371 & 298-9

Wasim Jaffer puts West Indies on back foot

Opener Wasim Jaffer hit a magnificent 212 and Mahendra Dhoni lashed six sixes in a frantic 69 as India created a match-winning position against West Indies here on the fourth day of the opening Test.
India, who started the day on 215 for two, declared at 521 for six at Antigua Recreation Ground. West Indies, set a challenging 392 to win in just over a day, were 13 without loss at the close.
Jaffer's maiden double century was the anchor of India's superb fight-back after conceding a first-innings lead of 130. Dhoni provided late acceleration and his dismissal, to a catch at deep midwicket which was nearly his seventh six, proved a controversial moment at the end of the day.

First Test, St John's, day four (close): India 241 & 521-6 dec v West Indies 371 & 13-0

Wasim Jaffir ton turns tide for India

Wasim Jaffer scored his second Test century as India battled back to gain control after three days of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua.
The hosts had carved out a useful lead of 130 as they were bowled out for 371. But by the close, Jaffir's career-best 113 not out had steered India to 215 for 2 in their second innings, a lead of 85.
Jaffer shared an opening stand of 72 with Virender Sehwag (41), 75 for the second wicket with VVS Laxman (31) and an unbroken 68 with Rahul Dravid. The captain was still there on 21 not out at the close, while Jaffer's unbeaten knock has come from 223 balls, with 12 fours.

First Test, St John's, day three: India 241 & 215-2 (close) v West Indies 371

Chris Gayle force Windies punish India

Half centuries from Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan put West Indies in command on day two of the first Test against India in Antigua.
Having dismissed the tourists for 241, the Windies reached 318 for 6 by the close, a lead of 77 runs. Gayle top scored with a typically belligerent 72, Bravo hit an attractive 63 while Sarwan laboured to 57. Virender Sehwag was the pick of the bowlers with 2-32, dismissing Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made 24. Munaf Patel (2-60) and leg-spinner Anil Kumble (2-85) were also among the wickets but the inexperience of seamers Sri Sreesanth and VRV Singh was exposed during Gayle's initial assault.

First Test, St John's, day two (close): India 241 v West Indies 318-6

West Indies take charge against India

West Indies produced a strong bowling display to restrict India to 235 for 9 at stumps on day one of the first Test.
All-rounder Dwayne Bravo claimed 4-37 and Corey Collymore 3-27 as India struggled after electing to bat. Eight batsmen reached double figures for the tourists but none of them could go on to play a major innings and Rahul Dravid's 49 was the top score. India were 180-7 but Sri Sreesanth and Anil Kumble boosted the total by adding 47 for the eighth wicket. India sprang a surprise at the start by leaving out Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh and giving a debut to seam bowler VRV Singh.

First Test, St John's, day one (close): India 235-9 v West Indies

India loses wickets after electing to bat first

India skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and opted to bat in the first Test in Antigua, looking for his side's first series in the West Indies since 1971.
Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh were left out by India, with Anil Kumble the sole spinner and VVS Laxman back. West Indies won the one-day series 4-1, but India are favourites for the Tests. West Indies Team : C H Gayle, D Ganga, R R Sarwan, B C Lara, S Chanderpaul, D J Bravo, D Ramdin, I D R Bradshaw, C D Collymore, D Mohammed, F H Edwards
India Team : W Jaffer, V Sehwag, R Dravid, V V S Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, M Kaif, M S Dhoni, A Kumble, S Sreesanth, V R V Singh, M M Patel

Corey Collymore and Shivnarine Chanderpaul fit to play

West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and fast bowler Corey Collymore passed fitness tests this morning in Antigua and are available for selection to the final Eleven for the first test match against India.
Chanderpaul suffered a small tear to his left hamstring during the third ODI in St Kitts. He was forced to miss the final two ODIs but remained with the squad to receive treatment from physiotherapist Stephen Partridge. Collymore twisted his right ankle in the final ODI in Trinidad and did not bowl in the game. After receiving treatment from Partridge, he was able to bowl in the Windies net session yesterday and participated fully in the practice session at the Antigua Recreation Ground this morning.
Meanwhile, a pitch with a little grass is the order of the day for the first Test. But the West Indies will start with the advantage. The West Indies Cricket Board announced the appointment of Ramnaresh Sarwan as vice captain of the West Indies cricket team for the remainder of the Digicel 2006 home series. Sarwan, age 25, will be number two to Brian Lara. Sarwan has performed outstandingly during his career and won the man-of-the-series award in the just-concluded one-day international series between the West Indies and India.

India West indies Tests live on Ten Sports

Following the shocking 4-1 defeat in the one-day international series, there is immense interest in how India will now tackle a resurgent West Indies in the four-Test series....

India batsmen secure warm-up draw

Four players scored half-centuries as India drew their two-day tour match against Antigua and Barbuda.
India bowled the hosts out for 300 on day one before replying with 311-9 on the second day of the match.
Vangipurappu Laxman top scored with 72, while Wasin Jaffer (52), Mohammad Kaif (53) and Mahendra Dhoni (60 not out) were also in the runs.
Spinner Justin Athanaze was the pick of the Antigua and Barbuda attack, taking 3-79 in 21 overs.
Having lost the one-day series 4-1, India are looking for a better performance in the four Tests, the first of which starts on Friday.
India have not won a Test series in the Caribbean for 35 years and were beaten 2-1 on their last tour in 2002 after going 1-0 up with victory in Trinidad.

Tour match, Antigua, day two (close): Antigua & Barbuda 300 drew with India 311-9

Indian bowlers toil in warmup game

India's bowlers toiled for almost the whole first day to dismiss Antigua and Barbuda in their two-day warm-up match on Tuesday.
Antigua and Barbuda were eventually dismissed for 300 and India scored 33 in 10 overs before the close, losing the wicket of Virender Sehwag for six.
Former West Indies batsman Sylvester Joseph scored 128 not out after defying the Indian attack for over four hours.
India's bowlers stuck to their task on a sluggish pitch with seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth taking three late wickets to finish with three for 46 in 15 overs.

Tour match, Antigua, day one (close): Antigua & Barbuda 300; India 33-1

Ramnaresh Sarwan jumps to No.2 in ODI rankings

West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan has made a leap up the International Cricket Council's One Day International rankings, jumping nine places to number two.
The 25-year old right-hander had an outstanding series against India in the five-match series, scoring 273 runs at an average of 91, to capture the Man-of-the-Series award.
Sarwan scored one of the three centuries of the tour, a brilliant, unbeaten 115 in the third ODI in St Kitts.
This follows up a good series against Zimbabwe where the talented Guyanese player scored 254 runs at an average of 50.80 to break into the top ten for the first time.
While Adam Gilchrist remains at the top of the batting standings, Mahendra Dhoni has slipped two places to number four after moderate performances in the series against the West Indies.
Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who finished with 237 runs in the just-concluded series to be the team's leading run-scorer, has moved six places up in the standings to 18th spot.

Brian Lara ready to floor India with green tracks in Tests

West Indian skipper Brian Lara has said that after bringing down the Indians in the one-day series with slow tracks, the hosts were ready to repeat the dose in the Tests by rolling out green wickets.
Lara said that Indias world class spin attack would be a difficult propostion for his batsmen on wearing pitches while bouncier ones could thwart the visitors strong batting line-up.
Indian skipper Rahul Dravid for his part said the visitors would be keen to shrug aside the one-day debacle and bounce back in the four-Test series starting with the first at Antigua on June 2.
Lara was pleased with the fact that the hosts rested key players and still dominated India, who went into the series as world No 2 and favourites.
Man-of-the series Ramnaresh Sarwan said the Sunday win would give his team the psychological edge.

West Indies announces squad for first Test

Left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed was recalled as West Indies selectors largely retained the triumphant one-day squad for the first cricket Test against India beginning in Antigua on Friday.
The two players who were left out were Dwayne Smith and Sewnarine Chattergoon who was castled for a duck in the last one-dayer yesterday, the only look-in he got in the five-match series which West Indies clinched 4-1.
The 26-year-old Mohammed, who last played for West Indies in 2004, was rewarded for his consistent first-class performances and his match-winning show in Carib Beer Challenge.
The wicketkeeper's slot was given to 21-year-old Denesh Ramdin ahead of Jamaica's Carlton Baugh Junior, according to a statemen from the West Indies Cricket Board.
Ramdin was dropped for the third and fourth matches of the one-day series but the selectors retained faith in his services in the longer format of the game.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who missed the final two one-day internationals in Trinidad due to a hamstring injury, is back along with Daren Ganga, the Test opener, who toured New Zealand recently. Test Squad: Brian Lara (Captain), Christopher Gayle, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Runako Morton, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (Wicket Keeper), Ian Bradshaw, Jerome Taylor, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Dave Mohammed.

Pace and spin sweep West Indies to victory

West Indies struck with pace and spin to take the last six wickets for 66 runs and win the fifth and final one-day international against India by 19 runs on Sunday.
India, chasing West Indies' score of 255 for six, were all out for 236 in 48 overs to hand the hosts their fourth successive victory in the series after India had won the first match.
Opening batsman Virender Sehwag had put India in control with his innings of 95 off 103 deliveries but new-ball bowler Jerome Taylor then returned to the attack with a burst of three for eight in four overs to wrestle the West Indies back into the game.
Earlier, a second successive unbeaten half-century by Dwayne Bravo boosted the West Indies after the hosts were sent into bat first by India.

Fifth One-day international, Trinidad: West Indies 255-6 (50 overs) bt India 236 (48 overs) by 19 runs

Lara wants to extend winning streak

Windies cricket captain Brian Lara has vowed that todays final Digicel One-Day International series contest against India, at the Queens Park Oval in Port-of-Spain would not produce a complacent display by his side.
Since he was reappointed as the Windies skipper a month ago, Lara led the regional team to a 5-0 triumph over Zimbabwe in a recent home one-day contest. He declared on Thursday that this weekends matches would be his last international appearances in front of his home crowd.
Windies Test squad: Brian Lara (Captain), Christopher Gayle, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Wavell Hinds, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Dave Mohammed, Corey Collymore, Jerome Taylor
India Test squad: AB Agarkar, MS Dhoni, R Dravid (Captain), Harbhajan Singh, M Kaif, MM Patel, SK Raina, V Sehwag, S Sreesanth, AR Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh

Lara leads Windies to series win

Brian Lara hit 69 to help the West Indies clinch the one-day series against India with a six-wicket win on his home ground in Trinidad. The West Indies captain hit his runs off 97 balls as his side won with six overs to spare to take a 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
West Indies put India into bat and restricted them to 217-7 before replying with 218-4 in 44 overs. The tourists slumped to 47-3, with captain Rahul Dravid among the early casualties, before Mohammad Kaif (62) and Yuvraj Singh (52) put on 80 for the fourth wicket.

One-day international, Trinidad: India 217-7 lost to West Indies 218-4 by 6 wickets

Windies Looks For ODI Series Win Over India

Windies cricket fans across the world are hoping the Brian Lara-led team can seize victory in the final two One Day International match-up against India. The Windies are set to face the cricket worlds ranked number three, India, in the final two ODIs of the Digicel home series at a sold-out match at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad today, May 26, and on Sunday, May 28.
The Windies are 2-1 into the series after the back-to-back thrillers at Sabina Park in Jamaica and Warner Park in St. Kitts recently. The West Indies has replaced Wavell Hinds and Sewnarine Chattergoon with injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Runako Morton for this weekend matches.

Wavell Hinds to replace Chanderpaul in last two ODIs

Wavell Hinds and Sewnarine Chattergoon will replace Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Runako Morton in the West Indies squad for the last two ODIs against India.
Chanderpaul has pulled a hamstring, however, he will remain with the team, Windies media manager said. Runako has been dropped on account of his poor show in the series.
He refused comment whether Chanderpaul will be fit for the Test series.
Hinds has opened with Chris Gayle in the one dayers. A two ODI veteran Sewnarine Chattergoon is a left-hand opening batsman. West Indies Squad : Brian Lara (Captain), Christopher Gayle, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Carlton Baugh Jr., (wicketkeeper), Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, Ian Bradshaw and Dave Mohammed.

India call up Suresh Raina for Tests

Suresh Raina has earned a call up to the India Test side after selectors included the stylish left-handed batsman in a 16-man squad yesterday for next months four-match series in the West Indies.
After impressing in the one-day team, the uncapped 19-year-old was promoted to the Test squad after Sachin Tendulkar ruled himself out of the series on Tuesday, the premier batsman failing to recover completely from shoulder surgery.
Off-spinner Ramesh Powar also earned a place in the squad based on his impressive one-day performances, the uncapped 28-year-old named as a third slow bowler along with Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.
Opting for youth over experience, fast bowler Vikram Rajvir Singh was given the nod ahead of the tried and tested all round skills of Ajit Agarkar.
Wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthick made a comeback into the squad as the second gloveman after Dhoni. India Test squad: R Dravid (Captain), V Sehwag, W Jaffer, VVS Laxman, Y Singh, M Kaif, S Raina, MS Dhoni, D Karthik, I Pathan, S Sreesanth, M Patel, VR Singh, A Kumble, H Singh, R Powar.

West Indies bt India by 4 wickets in the 3rd ODI

Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a century in his 100th one-day international as West Indies beat India with a single ball to spare to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Chasing 246 in the first international ever in St Kitts, Sarwan (115no) put on 106 with Shiv Chanderpaul (58) and the West Indies got home by four wickets.
After Rahul Dravid fell early, Virender Sehwag (96) put on 61 with Suresh Raina and 112 with Mohammad Kaif. But six wickets, including three run-outs, fell for 33 runs in 12 overs.
Warner Park, the small, scenic, intimate ground that has undergone a fascinating transformation for Cricket World Cup 2007, hosted its first international match and to mark the grand occasion, the Government declared a public holiday for the third Digicel One-Day International.
West Indies Cricket Squad: Brian Lara (Captain), Christopher Gayle, Runako Morton, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Carlton Baugh Jr., Ian Bradshaw, Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards.
India Cricket Squad: Rahul Dravid (Captain), Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Mohammed Kaif, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Venugopal Rao, Ramesh Powar, Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Munaf Patel.

One-day international, St Kitts: West Indies 248-6 (49.5 overs) beat India 245-9 (50 overs) by four wickets

Windies name unchanged squad

West Indies named an unchanged 14-man squad for the third one-dayer against visiting India to be played in St Kitts today.
The hosts scored a dramatic one-run victory in the second one-dayer on Saturday to level the five-match series 1-1.
India won the opening match by five wickets. The final two one-dayers will be played in Trinidad on May 26 and May 28.
West Indies Squad: Brian Lara (Captain), Christopher Gayle, Runako Morton, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Carlton Baugh Jr (wicketkeeper), Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo and Dave Mohammed.

India loses by one run in the 2nd ODI

All-rounder Dwayne Bravo bowled Yuvraj Singh with two balls to spare and West Indies defeated India by one run in a thrilling second one-day cricket international at Sabina Park on Saturday.
Yuvraj had steered the visitors chase with a brilliant 93 but he was last out as India was bowled for 197 off 49.4 overs. West Indies totaled 198 for nine off 50 overs on the back of a gritty, unbeaten 98 from Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was named man of the match. Indias bowlers were impressive with the new-ball pair of Ajit Agarkar (two for 25) and Irfan Pathan (3-45) setting back West Indies early. Offspinners Ramesh Powar (2-38) and Harbhajan Singh (1-32) helped maintain Indias stranglehold throughout the innings.
Samuels, whose 19 took 53 balls, eventually edged to Dhoni off Yuvrajs spin. Dwayne Bravo followed for a duck, clipping Powar to a diving Raina at midwicket. Carlton Baugh injected some life in the innings with 21 off 17 balls and Sarwan accelerated toward the end as West Indies scored 71 runs off the last 10 overs. The 25-year-old Sarwan, in his 99th match, struck seven fours and one six but just missed out on reaching his third one-day century
Team India: Rahul Dravid (Captain), Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel.
Team West Indies: Brian Lara (Captain), Chris Gayle, Runako Morton, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh Jr, Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Dwayne Bravo and Ian Bradshaw.

One-day international, Kingston: West Indies 198 for 9 (50.0 overs) beat India 197 all out (49.4 overs) by 1 run

India beat West Indies by 5 wickets in First ODI

Indian captain Rahul Dravid cracked 105 off 102 balls to lead his team to a thrilling five-wicket victory in the rain-hit first one-dayer against West Indies on Thursday.
Dravid scored his 12th one-day hundred and shared in a 123-run fourth wicket partnership with Mohammad Kaif, who struck the winning boundary with one ball to spare to finish unbeaten on 66 after being dropped twice.
India reached 254 for five in 44.5 overs chasing the hosts' total of 251 for six. West Indies were put into bat in a game reduced to 45 overs-a-side after rain delayed the start.
India extended their world record for most consecutive one-day international victories chasing a target to 17.
West Indies opener Chris Gayle stroked 123 studded with 18 fours and two sixes, dominating India's largely inexperienced pace attack in the morning.
The Jamaican left-hander mixed caution with brute power on a Sabina Park pitch affording early seam movement, adding 87 runs for the first wicket with Runako Morton (23) and 82 with captain Brian Lara (35) for the third.
The second game of the five-match series is due to be played at Sabina Park on Saturday.

One-day international, Kingston: West Indies 251-6 (45/45 overs) lost to India 254-5 (44.5 overs)

India to take on West Indies in First ODI

Rahul Dravid's men are all set to take on West Indies in the first one day international in Kingston on Thursday. India have already started their tour on a high note, winning the opening match against Jamiaca with ease. But the Kingston pitch is green and fast, and is expected to help the West Indian speedsters.
Meanwhile, Dravid has said the team is feeling the absence of Ramesh Powar and Shreesanth, who are suffering from injuries, but that will not affect the team's morale. Ramesh Powar had twisted his ankle during practice on Monday, while Sreesanth is carrying a bruised heel from the games in Abu Dhabi last month. Team India: Rahul Dravid (Capt.), Virender Shewag , Yuvraj Singh , Suresh Raina , Venugopal Rao , Mohammad Kaif , Mahendra Dhoni (Wicket Keeper), Irfan Pathan , Ajit Agarkar , Harbhajan Singh , Rudra Pratap Singh , Munaf Patel and Robin Uthappa
Team West Indies: Brian Lara (Capt.), Christopher Henry Gayle , Runako Morton, Ramnaresh Ronnie Sarwan , Shivnarine Chanderpaul , Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Carlton Baugh (Wicket Keeper), Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Dave Mohammad.

Denesh Ramdin left out for the first 2 ODI's

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has been again left out of the West Indies 14-man squad for the first two One Day Internationals against India scheduled for Sabina Park, Jamaica tomorrow and Saturday.
The 21-year-old Ramdin, who was omitted for the two final ODIs of the series against Zimbabwe last weekend in Trinidad, has been replaced by Jamaican gloveman Carlton Baugh Jr in an unchanged squad announced yesterday by the West Indies Cricket Board.
Ramdin has played eight Tests and 13 ODIs for the West Indies and has become their first choice wicketkeeper but his glove work has increasingly come under the microscope in recent time.
Baugh was recalled for the Trinidad leg of the Zimbabwe tour, his first ODIs in two years, and grabbed the opportunity to impress with both bat and ball.
He smashed a late-innings 25 from 15 balls and took one catch in the rain-ruined sixth ODI on Saturday, before returning to hit another cameo 19 from 11 balls, with two sixes, in the final game on Sunday. West Indies Team
Brian Lara (Captain), Christopher Gayle, Runako Morton, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Carlton Baugh Jr (wicketkeeper), Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Dave Mohammed.

Ramesh Powar out of two ODIs

The Indian cricket team had a major injury worry at the start of the West Indies tour with off-spinner Ramesh Powar being rendered unfit for the first one-day internationals and fast bowler Sreesanth too looking a doubtful starter.
Powar twisted his ankle during practice here yesterday while Sreesanth, who was said to have suffered a similar injury in Abu Dhabi, was still not 100 percent fit.
Both the players, alongwith opener Robin Uthappa, were left out of the opening fixture of the tour, a warm-up one-dayer against a local unit.
Team sources said there were no plans to send Sreesanth back home and that he would still be eligible to play in the first one-dayer at Jamaica on Thursday

India claim easy win over Jamaica

India began their tour of the West Indies with a thumping 116-run victory over Jamaica in a warm-up match in Montego Bay on Tuesday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Indians hit up 289-7 and then bowled out the home side for 173 in 45 overs.
Suresh Raina put the visitors on course for a big score with an entertaining 50 before retiring. Mohammad Kaif and Mahendra Dhoni, who hit three sixes, then tore apart the home attack, scoring 49 each.
Jamaica were always under pressure after the loss of two early wickets.
Seamer Munaf Patel was the pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming three wickets for 33 runs.
The first of five One-Day Internationals is on Thursday in Kingston.

India in West Indies : Practice Match, Montego Bay India 289-7 beat Jamaica 173 by 116 runs

India must adapt quickly

India's coach Greg Chappell believes the key to success in the one-day cricket series against West Indies would lie in how quickly his team adapts to the conditions in the Caribbean.
The Indians are scheduled to play a practice game against Jamaica XI, which features eight players with test experience, tomorrow before the five-match ODI contest begins on Thursday.
Chappell did not think that his team lacked experienced players in the line-up.
Since Chappell took over, India have set a record of 16 consecutive one-day international victories while chasing, bettering the previous mark of 14 set by the West Indies in the 1980s.
But their recent form notwithstanding, Chappell said West Indies could not be taken for granted.

Lara satisfied with West Indies Team

West Indies captain Brian Lara has labelled his team's shutout of Zimbabwe an encouraging build-up to face India in their series starting later this week in Jamaica.
The Indians, who arrived in the Caribbean last Friday, are expected to provide far stiffer opposition for West Indies than little-rated Zimbabwe, who slumped to a 5-0 series loss to the Caribbean side after a heavy defeat in Sunday's final game at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain.
But Lara believes, regardless of the quality of the Zimbabweans, his team's winning streak against the Africans can definitely be taken as a positive, days before they tackle India Thursday in the first of five One-Day International (ODI) matches.
West Indies had opened the series with comfortable wins in the first two games in Antigua-by five wickets and 98 runs-before a rain-abandoned third ODI in Guyana, then winning the fourth by 82 runs.
West Indies won game five by ten wickets in St Lucia and after game six Saturday ended in a no-result, they wrapped up the series Sunday with another facile victory.
Lara scoffed at suggestions there is no merit in scoring victories against such a raw and highly inexperienced Zimbabwe side, asserting that West Indies should take credit for making their superiority show in the results.

Bowling, fielding to decide series

As the one-day international series against Zimbabwe draws to a close in the Caribbean this weekend, the West Indies team will be turning their attention to the upcoming five ODIs against their next opponents India. This will be a completely different kettle of fish for the Windies. While Zimbabwe linger at the bottom of both Test and ODI rankings, India have been proving their worth in both forms of the game, and not just on home soil.
The Windies have dominated the present series but like this last game, at times Zimbabwe have not been outclassed to the degree at which you would have expected considering their problems with the availability of their best players for selection. And that is good reason for the Windies fans to be a bit skeptical about the upcoming contest.
Caribbean fans know a lot about captain Rahul Dravid and would have seen a bit of Virender Sehwag and at least heard of the recent exploits of Yuvraj Singh but add to those, the hard hitting Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mohammed Kaif and the two young guns Suresh Raina and Ramesh Powar and you get the idea that the Windies bowling attack could be thoroughly tested this time around.
Yuvraj Singh has developed tremendously over the last 12 months or so and is now the finished article and Raina and Powar look to be two young batsmen going places but Dhoni is a destroyer.
He is a powerful man who could make these comparatively small West Indies cricket grounds look like indoor arenas and perhaps it would not be a bad idea if they were because if he is not dismissed cheaply, the West Indies Cricket Board could end up with an unusually high equipment bill for lost cricket balls.
It should not be all one way street where powerful hitting is concerned though as Indias captain Dravid has acknowledged that the West Indies batting lineup is not one to be sniffed at.
So, perhaps with such strong batting lineups in both teams, it will be the team that bowls and fields better that will end up in front after the five games.
West Indies should just be ahead in the fielding stakes with quick sure handed players like Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Ronako Morton and even Chanderpaul from the older brigade in the outfield but the inexperienced bowlers will have their work cut out.
Indias victories in more recent times have come mostly from chasing targets and one could say that is also going to be the best chance of victory for the West Indies as well. India can do the job.

Sehwag not going to take too many risks in West Indies

Virender Sehwag is not on the lookout for a quick fix. Its been known for a while that one-dayers arent Sehwags favourite version of the game.
An average of 31.90 in ODIs only confirms that feeling. But the team management has been a great admirer of his match-winning abilities.
Any suggestion of a change in technique is immediately dropped by the Indian vice-captain, who believes that his natural aggression got him where he is now.
The absence of Sachin Tendulkar, who has been entrusted with the responsibility of trying to bat out 50 overs, means that Sehwag will look to be more solid to begin with.
The presence of players who look to finish games means that the top-order feels very secure when it comes to chasing any target.

Indian team leaves for West Indies

The Indian team left for a 55-day tour of the West Indies on Thursday night with an aim to re-write the history books.
Rahul Dravid's men will have a chance to do what no Indian team has done in the past 34 years, which is to win a Test series on the Caribbean soil.
Going by the recent form of both the teams, India will definitely start as the favourites, but Dravid has warned his side not to take things too lightly.
Beginning with the one-day series, this tour has gained even more importance since many are viewing it as a preview to the next year's World Cup.
While the captain acknowledges that it will be a great opportunity for the youngsters to a get a feel of the world cup venues, the main aim is to do well in this series and not look too much at the future.
In the recent past, India has performed much better in ODIs than in Tests and undoubtedly they will be looking to set that record straight by doing well in both forms of the game.
The Indian skipper, who is only one of four players to have visited the West Indies before, has some bad memories to erase from Indias last tour to the Caribbean in 2002.
After 19 years, India had won a Test series outside the sub-continent in Zimbabwe, but it was against a team, which was highly inexperienced and much weaker than the Indian side.
This tour will give them the opportunity to win a series outside the subcontinent against a competitive side after 20 years.

Wavell Hinds will lead the Jamaican Team

Wavell Hinds will lead a strong 15-member Jamaican team, with eight Test players in the ranks, in the one-day match against the Rahul Dravid-led team India at Jarrett Park on Tuesday.
India will be using the warm-up match to prepare for the opening two one-day matches against the West Indies at Sabina Park later in the week.
Apart from Hinds, the team also includes players like Chris Gayle, Darren Powell and Marlon Samuels.
Announcing the squad here at the Montego Bay Cricket Club yesterday, Mr Brian Breese, cricket operations officer for the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), said this was the best possible squad but some players could be omitted if the West Indies Cricket Board wanted to use them in the ODI series. Jamaica Cricket Association: Wavell Hinds (Captain), Chris Gayle, Donovan Pagon, Marlon Samuels, Daren Powell, Jerome Taylor, Nikita Miller, Carlton Baugh (wicket-keeper), Jermaine Lawson, Tamar Lambert, Bevon Brown, Danza Hyatt, Andrew Richardson, Damion Ebanks and Donovan Sinclair.

Dravid Looks Forward To Windies

India's cricket captain says the test tour of West Indies starting this week is an excellent opportunity to end a 20-year run without a major series victory outside the sub-continent.
Rahul Dravid says it is always a big challenge touring West Indies where India play five one-dayers followed by three test.
The world's third-ranked test side last won a major away series in England in 1986 and their best efforts away from familiar spin-friendly pitches have been 1-all draws in England in 2002 and in Australia in 2003-04.
Since Dravid took over as captain in October India have beaten Sri Lanka 6-1 and England 5-1 at home and claimed a 4-1 triumph in Pakistan in one-day matches.
But they have often struggled for consistency in tests, losing 1-0 in Pakistan early this year and allowing an injury-hit England to rally to draw a three-test series 1-1 in March.

Sreesanth hoping to bag more wickets on West Indies tour

Upbeat after his success in recent one-dayers, India's new pace find S Sreesanth is hoping to reap a good harvest in the upcoming West Indies tour.
The Kerala star said he wanted to undergo a short four-day training under the tutelage of T A Sekhar, Chief Coach of MRF Pace Academy, and focus on bowling yorkers for good returns against the West Indies.
"It is about positioning of my left arm before delivery. I will be working on my yorkers as well. I have not bowled much of it during the last six months. I am told that yorkers will be an effective weapon against the West Indies batsmen he said.
"As a first class cricketer, I had claimed 33 wickets through bowling yorkers alone and I want to develop it further to become a much more effective cricketer." On bowling to left hand batsmen in the West Indies team, the youngest pace bowler in the team said, "I do not want to complicate things for myself. Left handed or right handed batsmen is not a major worry for me. I want to be simple in my approach and do do what the team management advises me to." Asked about his tendency to lose concentarion immediately after taking a wicket, he said, "I am working on that mental aspect of the game. I should be patient enough for better results. I am confident of a good showing on the coming tour." Sreesanth said he wanted to maintain his rhythm and consitently bowl around 140 kmph. "It is really a pleasure to be a fast bowler. My basic motto in the coming series is to show consistency in my rhythm," he said.

Brian Lara, Hayden are toughest to dismiss: Harbhajan

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who thinks West Indies skipper Brian Lara is one of the toughest batsman to bowl to along with Aussie opener Matthew Hayden, said the upcoming tour of the West Indies would help India prepare well for the World Cup in the Caribbean next year as it would be able to assess beforehand the pitch and weather conditions there.
"The Indian team would be able to discern important information regarding the nature of wickets and climatic conditions in West Indies, which would further assist the team to play well in the World Cup. It will be a challenging tour". Harbhajan Singh said.
"I reckon our tour of the West Indies to be a challenging one for India. But the Indian team will put in its best efforts to win the Test series in that country which we have not done during last 35 years. I enjoy playing more and more cricket. However, I cannot say about others but I never get fed up with playing more and more cricket," Harbhajan said.

Jeff Crowe is referee for India-Windies series

Jeff Crowe will be the match referee during India's tour of West Indies, while Elite panel umpires Rudi Koertzen, Simon Taufel and Asad Rauf will stand along with officials chosen by the host cricket board in the five ODIs and four Tests between the two sides starting May 18.
The ODIs will take place first with Pakistan's Rauf, recently elevated to the Emirates Elite Panel of umpires, standing in the first three matches to be replaced by Umpire of the Year Australian Simon Taufel in the last two games of the series.
Taufel and Rauf will then stand together in the first two Tests of the series, in Antigua and St Kitts on June 2 and 10 respectively before the South African duo of Rudi Koertzen and Emirates International Panel official Brian Jerling take over from them.
The appointments announced by the ICC also cover the seven-match ODI series between the West Indies and Zimbabwe starting April 29 and the three-Test series between England and Sri Lanka that begins on May 11.
Former England batsman Chris Broad from the Emirates Elite Panel of match referees will officiate in the West Indies-Zimbabwe ODI series while colleague Alan Hurst will officiate in the England-Sri Lanka Test series.
Koertzen, who recently completed 150 ODIs as umpire, will stand in the first Test at Lord's on May 11 and the last match at Trent Bridge set to get underway on June 2 ahead of his trip to the Caribbean.
He will be joined in both matches by Aleem Dar of Pakistan, officiating alongside him at Lord's, and Australian Darrell Hair standing at Trent Bridge.
Dar and Hair will stand together for the second Test of the series at Edgbaston starting on May 25.

India want shorter Caribbean tour

India have asked the West Indies to reduce their Test series in the Caribbean from four games to three.
India are due to arrive on 15 May and will play five one-dayers before the first Test in Antigua on 1 June.
"We've requested the West Indies Cricket Board to drop one Test from the itinerary," said Shashank Manohar, head of the board's fixture committee.
But WICB boss Roger Brathwaite said: "We have put all systems in place. It's extremely difficult to make changes."
Brathwaite said he had not received any information from the Indian authorities about a request for a change.
"I'm hearing about it for the first time. Last year we sent them an itinerary and asked if they had any request for adjustments that they be communicated to us in writing," he said.
"We did not receive any request and we went ahead and published the information that we had."
After the Antigua opener, further Tests are scheduled to take place in St Lucia, St Kitts and Jamaica.
Manohar, a vice-president of the BCCI, also revealed that India will play in a triangular series in Sri Lanka in August, with South Africa the third team.

Rain ruins Lara's Aussie farewell

Rain ended what is likely to be Brian Lara's last match in Australia on Friday, handing victory to the Prime Minister's XI. Lara was on 13 when rain swept across Canberra's Manuka Oval with the visitors on 174-3 in the 32nd over, chasing 317 for victory Lara's appearance in last week Adelaide was the 18th Test he had played in the country, during which he scored 1,428 runs at an average of 43.27. His overall record against the world champions - 2,856 at 51 - is bettered by his achievements against England, the other team he has faced in a significant proportion of his 121 Tests.

Lara secures new Test runs record

West Indies batsman Brian Lara has become the leading Test run scorer of all time, passing the 11,174 total of former Australian captain Allan Border.
The 36-year-old scored his 11,175th run on the second morning of the third Test against Australia in Adelaide. He was eventually bowled by Glenn McGrath for 226 after improving the record to 11,187. Lara also holds records for the highest Test and first-class scores of 400 not out and 501. His epic quadruple century against England in Antigua in April 2004 saw him become the first man to reclaim the world record, which he set at 375 in 1994 and then lost to Australian Matthew Hayden. He now has eight double centuries in Tests, a total exceeded only by Sir Don Bradman (12), and was given a standing ovation by the Adelaide Ovel crowd when he reached 217 not out to eclipse Border's 12-year-old record.

TOP TEST RUN-SCORERS

1. B Lara (WI) 11,187 runs in 213 innings
2. A Border (Aus) 11,174 runs in 265 innings
3. S Waugh (Aus) 10,927 runs in 260 innings
4. S Tendulkar (Ind) 10,134 runs in 198 innings
5. S Gavaskar (Ind) 10,122 runs in 214 innings