Weather rescues Windies in second Test

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - India were held up by seasonal rain, and a defiant sixth-wicket stand between Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels on the second day of the second Test against West Indies on Wednesday.

Only 25.3 overs in just under two hours were possible on the second day, as West Indies reached 98 for five, in response to the Indians' first innings total of 201.

Ishant Sharma gave the visitors two early wickets, but Samuels, not out on 21, and Chanderpaul, not out on 20, added an unbroken partnership of 41 in between the showers to restore some stability to the hosts innings.

Sharma exploited a still lively Kensington Oval pitch and the overcast conditions, removed night-watchman Devendra Bishoo and compatriot Ramnaresh Sarwan in the space of four deliveries.

The beanpole Indian fast bowler has been the most successful of the visitors' bowlers, taking three for 31 from 10 overs, after West Indies resumed on their overnight total of 30 for three.

Rain delayed the start of play by 45 minutes, but Sharma bristled with confidence, and gave India early success.

He had Bishoo caught in the gully for 13, fencing at a short, rising delivery in his seventh over, and three balls later trapped Sarwan lbw for 18 on the back foot with a delivery that moved back from outside the off-stump.

The visitors failed to make any more breakthroughs, particularly when play resumed about half-hour after the scheduled lunch interval with West Indies on 82 for five.

They met resistance from Samuels and Chanderpaul before rain drove the players off the field, and tea was taken during the stoppage.

A re-start appeared possible about 1 ½ hours before the scheduled close, but just when Abhimanyu Mithun was about to deliver the first ball, rain sent the players scampering again, and they never returned.

The weather forecast for the Barbados capital was not great - a flood watch was issued for the island by Met officials.

A tropical wave was affecting the island, and generally cloudy to overcast conditions, with periods of moderate to heavy showers, isolated thunderstorms, and occasional gusty winds.

The Indians are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean.

They will also be looking to create a piece of history by becoming the first Indian side to win a Test and one-day international series in the Caribbean - but they will also have to overcome their poor history here.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team still have reason to be optimistic - following a 10-wicket defeat for Sourav Ganguly's side nine years ago, West Indies have lost six of the last eight Tests they have played at this venue.

Indian attack strikes back against Windies

India's pacemen have brought them back into the second Test against West Indies, after they suffered a batting collapse on the first day on Tuesday.

Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, and Test newcomer Abhimanyu Mithun all collected a wicket apiece to leave West Indies in tatters on 3-30, in reply to India's first innings total of 201 at stumps.

Sharma made the breakthrough, when he had Adrian Barath caught at gully for three in the fourth over, and next over Praveen Kumar had Lendl Simmons caught behind for two, leaving West Indies two for five.

Darren Bravo joined Ramnaresh Sarwan and stemmed the fall of wickets before the left-hander was caught behind for nine from the penultimate ball of the day from Mithun.

Earlier, India were given further cause to usher in the use of the umpire decision review system.

Left-hander Suresh Raina was dubiously dismissed for 53, triggering a batting collapse that saw the Indians lose their last five wickets for 34 runs in the space of 55 balls.

Raina was caught at forward short leg off West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo for 53, following a 117-run, fifth-wicket stand with VVS. Laxman, whose 85 was the top score, and helped to rescue the visitors from a perilous 4-38 before lunch.

The left-hander was clearly upset by the decision from Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, which television replays suggested was highly dubious, dropping his bat, staring in anger at the official, and swinging his bat in disgust.

Fidel Edwards then ran through the lower half of India's batting, removing their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for two, Harbhajan Singh for five, and Mithun for a duck, finishing with three for 56 from 19 overs.

Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, with three for 38 from 16 overs, and Bishoo snared three for 46 from 14 overs.

Laxman reached his 50 from 75 balls, glancing Edwards to the fine leg boundary for his eighth four, and Raina reached the landmark from 90 deliveries, paddling Bishoo to long-leg for a single.

The two batsmen ensured India did not lose a wicket between lunch and tea, after the top order were given a real going over by Rampaul, who exploited helpful conditions in taking three of the wickets to fall.

India suffered an early setback, when left-handed opener Abhinav Mukund was caught at gully for one off Rampaul in the second over of the day.

The Indians ran into further trouble, when Rahul Dravid, a century-maker in the first Test, was caught behind for five, playing defensively forward to a delivery from West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

Murali Vijay was fortunate on four, when he sliced a drive at a delivery from Sammy, and Bishoo failed to hold onto a low, diving chance at backward point.

India reached two for 13 from 14 overs after the first hour, failing to strike a boundary but Laxman brought India their first four, when he pulled Sammy through wide mid-on.

But the Indians were jolted, when Rampaul had opener Murali Vijay caught behind down the leg side for a painstaking 11, and two deliveries later, Virat Kohli caught at second slip for a duck, fending a sharply rising delivery.

India are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean.

England's fired-up Anderson scorches sorry Sri Lanka

A fiery opening spell from England fast bowler James Anderson allowed Alastair Cook to celebrate his first home match as one-day captain with a thumping 110-run win over a shell-shocked Sri Lanka at the Oval on Tuesday.

Anderson had been left out of the lineup the last time the teams met over 50 overs, when Sri Lanka romped to a 10-wicket win in the World Cup quarter-finals in Colombo, as he struggled to come to grips with the dead sub-continent pitches.

But, back on more familiar ground, there was no stopping England's main strike bowler as he made sure their total of 229-8 off 32 overs in the first one-day international could not be touched.

"I was delighted to get my place back in the side," said man-of-the-match Anderson. "You've always got a point to prove.

"It was a long winter and we've had a good break now and feel more refreshed. I pride myself on my fielding and it's nice to hold a good one like today."

Ashes hero Anderson removed dangermen Tillakaratne Dilshan (1), Mahela Jayawardene (5) and Kumar Sangakkara (4) within the space of 15 deliveries to leave the World Cup runners-up reeling on 15-4.

Sri Lanka never managed to recover from the setback and would have suffered an even heavier defeat had it not been for a 52-run ninth wicket partnership between tailenders Lasith Malinga and Suraj Randiv.

Tottering on 69-8 in the 22nd over, the duo came together to frustrate the hosts but even their swashbuckling tactics -- with Malinga clobbering the only six of the Sri Lankan innings -- could only delay the inevitable.

A three-hour rain interruption reduced the game to 32 overs-a-side but Craig Kieswetter (61) and Eoin Morgan (45) made the most of their time in the middle by laying the foundations for England's total.

Anderson then tore into Sri Lanka's top order to finish with 4-18 and chipped in with three catches, including a caught and bowled effort to dismiss Sangakkara.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann (3-18) cleaned up the tail as Sri Lanka were all out for 121 with five overs to spare.

Associate teams back as ICC makes 2015 World Cup U-turn

HONG KONG, June 28  - The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday retained the 14-team format for the 2015 World Cup, succumbing to pressure from non-test playing nations who will have four representations in the elite 50-overs tournament.

"The ICC Executive Board opted to retain the 14-team format that was used at the highly successful and universally acclaimed ICC Cricket World Cup 2011," the governing body said in a statement.

The ICC had decided in April to restrict the 2015 tournament, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, to 10 full members.

The move triggered protests from associate teams, most notably Ireland, who stunned England in a Bangalore run-feast to contribute much of the early drama that brought alive the 2011 World Cup hosted jointly by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The growing resentment prompted ICC President Sharad Pawar to ask the executive board to review the decision and the U-turn was welcomed by Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom.

The 10-team format, however, will be back when England host the 2019 World Cup.

"...the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 would be a 10-team event with the top eight in the ICC rankings earning their qualification automatically with the remaining two places being decided by a qualification competition," the ICC said.

World Twenty20 events in 2012 (Sri Lanka) and 2014 (Bangladesh) will feature 12 teams.

Acid test for Cook in Eng-SL ODI series

London: Twelve weeks after the World Cup, England and Sri Lanka meet in a five-match one-day international series starting Tuesday at The Oval with both teams looking to hit back from disappointing performances at cricket's showpiece event.

England was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Sri Lanka, which went on to be well beaten in the final by India in Mumbai.

England has three captains for each format of the sport and will be led by new ODI skipper Alastair Cook. He took the job briefly on the Bangladesh tour in 2010-11, making the best possible start by winning all three ODIs and both tests.

Cook has already made a better start to his captaincy career than Stuart Broad, who led England to a nine-wicket defeat in the Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka at Bristol on Saturday.

Cook has not played an ODI since taking on Bangladesh in Chittagong on March 5. Following Andrew Strauss's retirement from ODI internationals after England's disastrous World Cup campaign, Cook will have time to make a team of his own ahead of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand if he can adapt his test-style batting to suit the shorter format.

Cook attracted criticism for his slow scoring in the drawn Lord's test and there are questions about whether he is he the right man for the job. England was 149-2 overnight and working toward a declaration on the fifth morning. Cook scored only 26 of the 111 runs added in the two-hour morning session.

In 26 ODIs, he has scored 858 runs at 33.00 with a strike rate of 71.38. He has hit only one six in his ODI career, off Mahmudullah in Mirpur.

England has made numerous changes to its World Cup team with only five players surviving, though Tim Bresnan was unavailable when the squad was selected because he is recovering from a calf injury. Ian Bell should be back after being dropped from the T20 side on Saturday, his first omission from any England side since September.

Tillekeratne Dilshan is set to return for Sri Lanka after missing the third test at the Rose Bowl because of a fractured thumb after being hit by Chris Tremlett in the Lord's test. Sri Lanka has also changed its side because Muttiah Muralitharan has retired and Upul Tharanga is banned for failing a drug test. Allrounder Angelo Mathews returns after a thigh injury.

England was expected to win the test series, but Sri Lanka is an excellent one-day side and the bookmakers reckon this series will be a closer contest. Overall, Sri Lanka has won 19 and lost six of their last 28 ODIs, with three no results. Away from home, the Sri Lankans have won 10 of their past 15 matches. England has 13 wins, 14 losses and one tie in its past 28 games.

India aim for Test series victory against Windies

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - India are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean, when the second Test begins at Kensington Oval here on Tuesday.

The Indians hold a 1-0 lead in the three Test series, following a 63-run victory inside four days in the first Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

The visitors also looked set to create a piece of history by becoming the first Indian team to win a Test and One-day International series in the Caribbean - but India will also have to rail against their history at the ground to accomplish that feat here.

The World No.1 side have an unflattering record at the ground, locally referred to as 'the Mecca of Caribbean cricket'.

India have lost their last five Tests since they drew with Garfield Sobers' side in 1971, and have hardly pushed West Indies in the seven Tests they have played at this venue over the years.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team still have cause for optimism though - following a 10-wicket defeat for Sourav Ganguly's side nine years ago, West Indies have lost six of the eight Tests they have played at this venue.

The current state-of-play between the two sides means that the Indians have an excellent opportunity to jettison the failures of past Indian teams here.

The visitors enter the contest with few or no problems, after their bowlers covered well for them in the first match, when the batting could only post par totals of 246 and 252.

India's major concern would be deciding on the final bowling attack, whether to keep leg-spinner Amit Mishra, or swap him for fit-again medium-fast bowler Munaf Patel on what is likely to be a lively pitch.

They may also opt to boost the top of their batting, replacing one of the openers with Parthiv Patel, hoping for a little more stability than they had in the Jamaica capital of Kingston.

Purposeful bowling was West Indies' strength in the first Test, but solid batting will be the key to them avoiding another defeat.

The problem has been inflated by the simultaneous lack of form for the experienced pair of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, as well as the unresolved dispute between Chris Gayle and the West Indies Cricket Board, which has robbed the batting of a more competitive edge.

West Indies' answer to the crisis has been to invite world-famous sports psychologist Rudi Webster to help cultivate a greater mental toughness for the players, but this is only a stop-gap measure, since he'll only be working with them for the duration of the Test.

They have also replaced vice captain Brendan Nash with Kirk Edwards, but the hometown boy is not expected to play.

Instead, Marlon Samuels will get another chance to prove his value to the team, after he was overlooked for the previous Test in his homeland.

There have been suggestions that West Indies shorten their batting to include fast bowler Kemar Roach, giving the attack a stiffer look, and hoping to put India's batting under further pressure.

But this is hardly likely to occur, except there is a guarantee that the conditions would highly favour the faster bowlers throughout the match.

Back-to-back Ashes series in 2013

England and Australia will play back-to-back Ashes Tests as part of the new future tours program agreed by cricket's world governing body on Monday.

England face Australia at home in the English summer of 2013 and then will do it all again Down Under in the Australian summer.

The Future Tours Program (FTP) for the period from 2012 to 2020 was finalised at a meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executives committee in Hong Kong.

The back-to-back Ashes schedule is a result of Australia hosting the World Cup in 2015, when the return Ashes would normally be played.

The FTP contains an official two-week window in September for the Champions League Twenty20 each year and also leaves space for an unofficial IPL window in April and May, making it possible for players from most nations to participate in the money-spinning tournament.

England are scheduled to play 99 Test matches from 2012-20 while Australia will play 92 and India 90.

While England has two five-Test match series planned against India, Australia is yet to be able to squeeze in more than four games against the world's most powerful team.

India's tours to England in 2014 and 2018 will include five Tests -- the only series of that length outside of the Ashes.

Sri Lanka and South Africa have 76 and 74 matches scheduled, the West Indies and New Zealand 66, Pakistan 65 with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe 42 and 41 games, respectively.

Pakistan, who are only allowed to play away from home following the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, are scheduled to tour India in March and April 2013.

The Zimbabwean team has not played any Test cricket since 2005, after getting their Test status suspended by International Cricket Council (ICC), due to political turmoil in the country.

World Cup winners India have been scheduled to play 166 One-day Internationals, the biggest share and 102 more than Zimbabwe. All other nations will play between 100 and 160 games.

Most sides have been handed between 30 and 55 Twenty20 games in a move seen by observers as the ICC's attempt to rein in the format to keep 50-over ODIs alive.

India ready to use modified DRS

HONG KONG,  - The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has finally agreed to use the Decision Review System (DRS) after the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday proposed a modified version of the technology which allows teams to challenge umpire rulings.

Teams can make two unsuccessful appeals against an umpire's decision using DRS but under the new version, ball-tracking technology will no longer be mandatory.

"The agreed standards will include infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices," the governing body said in a statement.

"The continued use of ball-tracking technology as a decision-making aid will depend on bilateral agreement between the participating members."

The BCCI had been opposing DRS's mandatory use in all test and one-day internationals as it felt the ball-tracking technology was "unreliable" but the ICC's new version appears to have won the Indian board over.

"The BCCI is agreeable to the use of technology in decision-making, which will include infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices," BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.

Of the existing DRS tools, Snickometer is used to detect edges, Hot Spot uses infra-red cameras to give more convincing indications of the ball's point of contact, while Hawk Eye replicates the ball's trajectory.

The ICC also recommended a qualification process to accommodate teams outside the 10 test playing nations in the 2015 World Cup.

A proposal to abolish a runner aiding an injured batsman was also approved and all these issues will be discussed in the two-day ICC Executive Board meeting starting on Tuesday.  

Tailenders key to India's rise in Tests

Bridgetown: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni could not stop praising his lower-order batsmen after going up 1-0 in the Test series against the West Indies and the appreciation is well-deserved given that the team's tailenders have shown steely resolve in recent times.

Since the Hamilton Test against New Zealand in March 2009, India have stacked up an admirable Test record of 12 wins, seven draws and three losses from the 22 Tests they have played.

But that's true only in Tests and substantially different in one-day internationals.

India's lower-half has consistently failed in one-dayers and one doesn't have to go beyond the present year to understand the phenomenon.

The triumphant World Cup campaign couldn't hide the fact that India lost its final six wickets against England for 33 runs, eight wickets for 29 runs against South Africa and final five for 36 runs against the West Indies.

Even on the present tour, India lost its final two one-day internationals by staggering margins of 103 runs and seven wickets as its lower half failed to come to the party.

One common ingredient between these two extremely divergent performances of Tests and one-dayers is the presence or absence of mercurial off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Harbhajan Singh made 41 runs in the third one-day international on the present tour to Caribbean and helped India take unassailable 3-0 lead.

But when he went missing in the final two one-day internationals, India lost by the staggering margins of 103 runs and seven wickets.

In the three Test matches India lost in the last two years, Harbhajan Singh didn't quite pull his weight or inspire the tail to eke out important runs.

Against South Africa during the 2010 Nagpur Test, India's last five wickets went for 12 runs.

Against Sri Lanka at Galle, India's final five wickets went for 24 runs and at Centurion last winter, India lost their final four wickets for 26 and 10 runs in the two innings.

However, the success of India's lower-half in Tests has stayed in mind because it's been so unexpected.

India's two substantial stands of 146 and 56 runs for the seventh and ninth wicket in the two innings at the Sabina Park pitch were the cornerstone around which the 63-run Test win was scripted.

A few extraordinary Test wins of the last two years indeed owe a generous gratitude to the resolve of india's tailenders.

In Kingsmead, India saw their first innings lead of 74 runs against South Africa quickly lose its value as it slipped to 148 for 7 in their second knock.

VVS Laxman (96) then found an able ally in Zaheer Khan (27) and their 70-run eighth wicket stand won visitors the game by 87 runs.

Against Australia in Mohali last year, India were set a target of 216 runs in the fourth innings.

It looked a lost cause as India slipped to 124 for 8 before the chestnuts were pulled out of fire by VVS Laxman (73 not out) and Ishant Sharma (31) through their 81-run ninth wicket stand.

Even Pragyan Ojha's five runs were worth in hundreds as India successfully made the uphill climb.

VVS Laxman was again at the forefront in helping India beat Sri Lanka at P Sara Oval in Colombo last year but it was Abhimanyu Mithun (46) and Amit Mishra (40) who helped India take the first innings honours.

The Tests in which India staved off defeats with help from its bottom half are as significant as the matches in which victory was made possible by their rearguard stands.

South Africa made a strong push to tilt the 1-1 scoreline in their favour in the final Test at Newlands last winter.

Batting first, they made 362 and looked headed for a good lead when Harbhajan Singh (40) and Zaheer Khan (23) stood firm to quell their charge.

Against New Zealand at Ahmedabad last year, India saw its marginal lead of 29 runs mean nothing as they slipped to 15 for 5 in the second knock.

Harbhajan came good with 115 runs, to go with his 69 in the first innings, and a possible defeat was averted.

Against New Zealand in 2009, India's 1-0 lead looked tenuous when it subsided to 204 for 6 in the final game at Wellington.

Harbhajan (60), Zaheer Khan (33), Ishant Sharma (18) and Munaf Patel (15) bailed them out and India had secured their first series win in New Zealand after 41 years.

So Dhoni's one assertion brings two questions back at him: why the tail has to bail a team out which regularly plays seven batsmen? And why not play five bowlers if your tail always comes to your rescue?

Indeed, Harbhajan Singh can now be termed an all-rounder as he has made 483 runs from the last seven Test matches with two centuries and two half-centuries.

He now has in excess of 2000 Test runs. This little adjustment in outlook can make India play the fifth bowler and possibly win many more Tests.

West Indies drop Nash for second test against India

KINGSTON, June 25  - West Indies have replaced out-of-form vice-captain Brendon Nash with right-handed batsman Kirk Edwards for the second test against India starting on Tuesday at Bridgetown, Barbados.

"It is clear that Brendan has been struggling for form for some time and we want to give him a chance to take some time away from international cricket and work on his game," selection committee chairman Clyde Butts said in a statement.

The 33-year-old left-handed Nash scored one and nine in the first test which India won by 63 runs on Thursday in Jamaica to take an early lead in the three-match series.

Former captain and opening batsman Chris Gayle, who has had serious differences with the cricket board, was again left out of the squad. The team will be led by Darren Sammy.

Squad: Darren Sammy (captain), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Devendra Bishoo.

Jayawardene helps Sri Lanka crush England in T20

LONDON, June 25  - Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara gave a batting masterclass in the shortest version of the game to lead Sri Lanka to an emphatic nine-wicket win over England in a one-off Twenty20 international in Bristol on Saturday.

Chasing a mediocre total of 136 for nine, the tourists romped home with 16 balls to spare as Stuart Broad suffered defeat on his debut as England's Twenty20 captain.

Jayawardene made a cultured 72 not out in 57 balls while Sangakkara added an undefeated 43 in 39 deliveries as the pair put on 97 for the second wicket after the 41-year-old Sanath Jayasuriya was dismissed for eight by paceman Jade Dernbach.

Skipper Thilina Kandamby, leading Sri Lanka for the first time in the absence of the injured Tillakaratne Dilshan, told reporters: "Our target was to keep them under 150. We thought 150 would be gettable here on a fast outfield."

Earlier, England failed to take advantage of an 83-run stand for the third wicket between Kevin Pietersen (41) and Eoin Morgan (47) as fast bowler Lasith Malinga (2-15) proved almost impossible to get away for the lower-order batsmen.

"It was a disappointing performance," said Broad. "But Malinga is one of the best in the world and we didn't find the boundaries we needed."

The two teams meet again at The Oval on Tuesday in the first game of a five-match series of one-day internationals. 

New Zealand's Vettori takes a break from one-dayers

WELLINGTON, June 25  - Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori is to take an indefinite break from the shorter forms of cricket in an attempt to extend his test career.

The 32-year-old all rounder, the most effective bowler in one-day cricket according to the ICC rankings, said he was still hoping to play in the next World Cup for his country.

The left-arm spinner has taken more than 345 wickets and scored 4,167 runs in test cricket and represented his country in 105 tests since making his debut as an 18-year-old in 1997 -- the youngest man to represent New Zealand.

"My reason for taking a break from the shorter forms of the game is primarily so that I can preserve my body and continue to represent the Blackcaps in test cricket," Vettori, who has taken 282 wickets and scored 2105 runs in 50 overs cricket, said in a news release.

"I also believe a break now will give me the best possible chance to take up one-day cricket again in the next couple of years and, if all goes well, make the Blackcaps World Cup team for 2015."

The Blackcaps play two tests in neighbouring Australia in December before returning home to take on the Zimbabweans in one test and South Africa in three in early 2012.

Vettori, who suffered from stress fractures in his back early in his career, resigned as captain after New Zealand's semi-final exit at the World Cup in March and has since been replaced by Ross Taylor.

New Zealand to host Zimbabwe, South Africa in 2012

WELLINGTON, June 24  - New Zealand will play their first home test against Zimbabwe in 11 years, as well as a three-match series against South Africa, in the next southern hemisphere summer, New Zealand Cricket announced on Friday.

The Blackcaps start their test season with two matches in neighbouring Australia in December before returning home to take on the Zimbabweans in a test at Napier in late January 2012.

Newly-appointed captain Ross Taylor will then lead the team in tests against the Proteas, ranked second in the world, in Dunedin, Hamilton and Wellington in March.

Christchurch, which was heavily damaged by a deadly earthquake in February, is unable to host any matches.

Zimbabwe's tour will be their first since 2001 and was cleared to take place after the New Zealand government earlier this month waived a ban on sporting tours imposed in protest at the African country's president Robert Mugabe.

Zimbabwe will also play three one-dayers and two Twenty/20 internationals against New Zealand, while the South Africans will kick off their tour with three Twenty/20s and a trio of one-dayers.

New Zealand, who are ranked eighth in the ICC's test rankings and seventh in one-dayers, will be without all rounder Scott Styris, who quit international cricket on Friday.

BCCI adamant Indians will not play in Lanka T20 league

NEW DELHI, June 24  - The inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League will go ahead next month without the Indian cricketers after talks failed with the Indian board (BCCI), Sri Lankan sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told Reuters on Friday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) denied permission to its players because it suspects the involvement of Lalit Modi, the former Indian Premier League commissioner who was sacked on financial irregularity charges, in the IPL-style tournament, Aluthgamage said.

"Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials requested BCCI to change their stand but they refused," Aluthgamage said by phone.

"They think Lalit Modi is involved in this tournament. I have checked company profile and everything... and he's not involved."

An SLC delegation was expected to travel to India this week to try and convince BCCI officials to allow Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin and nine other Indian players to participate in the tournament.

"There is no use going to India to meet them. They said they don't want to change the decision. We are doing the tournament and there is no doubt about that," the minister said.

BCCI president Shashank Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan were not available for comment.

On Sunday, Manohar said the players had been denied permission because the league was being organised by a "private party".

"The Board's policy is not to allow players to take part in private party-organised tournaments," Manohar told the Press Trust of India news agency.

Kieron Pollard, Shahid Afridi and Daniel Vettori are among the foreign recruits of the July 19-Aug 4 Twenty20 tournament.

India blow Windies away with 63-run win

India underlined their status as the world No.1 Test cricket side with a comfortable 63-run victory over the West Indies in the first Test.

The Indians successfully defended a victory target of 326 on Thursday when they dismissed the Windies for 262 in their second innings on the fourth day at Sabina Park.

Suresh Raina formalised the result when he bowled Devendra Bishoo behind his back for 26 about 35 minutes after lunch.

The victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second Test set to start on Tuesday at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

"Three-hundred was always going to be a difficult score to chase in the fourth innings," said Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"They were off to a flyer, but wickets always slow down the momentum, and we were able to apply pressure on their middle order."

Praveen Kumar finished with 3-42 from 16 overs, Ishant Sharma ended with 3-81 from 17 overs and Amit Mishra captured 2-62 from 13 overs.

India's bowlers were again virtuous with their line and length, and none of the remaining West Indies batsmen showed the kind of resolve to resist, after the hosts resumed on 3-131.

Before lunch, six wickets - two apiece for Kumar and Mishra - put India on the verge, sinking the West Indies to 9-226.

Kumar removed the overnight pair of Darren Bravo, bowled behind his back for 41, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, caught at extra cover for 30, inside the first half hour.

Harbhajan Singh then spoiled Carlton Baugh's 29th birthday celebrations, when he had him caught at leg-slip for a duck, leaving the West Indies 6-150.

India's champion off-spinner was, however, quickly removed from the attack, when West Indies' captain Darren Sammy launched him for three successive sixes over long-on into the Great Northern Stand.

But Mishra cut short Sammy's fun when he had him caught at extra cover for 25 and inflicted more agony on the hosts when he had Brendan Nash lbw for nine attempting an ugly slog, leaving the hosts reeling on 8-188.

India again met some resistance from the West Indies' tail, with Ravi Rampaul making a strong case for a promotion in the home team's batting order, stroking 34 before he was caught behind, gloving a snorter from Sharma.

"When we had them 85 for six in the first innings, we should have restricted them to a much lower total," lamented Sammy.

"We then had a chance to bat, and go into the lead, but we trailed by 73 runs.

"I do not think there are too many differences between the teams, but it's about us finding that way to capitalise on the key moments in the match."

The final Test between the two sides will be from July 6 at Windsor Park in Dominica.