India earn tense draw in final Test against Aussies

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — India clung on for a tense draw with three wickets left to deny Australia their third victory of the series in the fourth Sydney Test yesterday.

The Australians, with nine fielders crowding around the bat towards the final stages, pushed for victory but could not dislodge Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the gritty tourists batted it out at 252 for seven.

Rahane was unbeaten on 38 and Kumar was 20 not out when the game was called off with one ball left.

The Australians kept pushing throughout the final session and looked headed for victory once they removed batting mainstays Murali Vijay and skipper Virat Kohli, but the tail end resisted.

Australian skipper Steve Smith was named the player of the series after scoring four centuries for the winning side.

“I thought we were going to get there in the end but India hung on well,” Smith said.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t quite get there but I’m really proud of all the boys’ efforts for this Test match and for the series as well.”

The Australians declared at their overnight total of 251 for six, leaving the tourists to hunt down 349 runs to win off 90 overs on the fifth day.

Australia grabbed the vital wicket of Kohli for 46 in the 67th over as he sparred with Mitchell Starc, and Shane Watson took a catch low down at slip.

It completed a magnificent series for the new skipper, with a series aggregate of 692 runs at 86.50, the most by an Indian batsman in a series against Australia.

“The guys stood there, dug it out and pulled out a draw which is satisfying,” Kohli said.

“We took them to the end on three occasions, two Tests were draws and one was a loss that could have gone either way.

“I’m really proud of the way the guys have played in this series.

“We certainly do have negatives we want to improve on, especially seeing the way the Australians bowl.

“If we can improve on that we’re going to be a very strong test team moving forward.”

Vijay was out in the fourth over after tea when he slashed at Josh Hazlewood outside off-stump to be taken by Brad Haddin for 80.

The opener passed fifty for the fifth time in the series and batted for 255 minutes off 165 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

Vijay’s series aggregate of 482 at an average of 60.25 was the most by an Indian opener in Australia, eclipsing 464 by Virender Sehwag.

Australia’s hopes soared when the hapless Suresh Raina went for a pair of ducks, this time he lasted three balls before he was leg before wicket by Starc.

Wriddhiman Saha also went for a duck, trapped leg before wicket by Lyon as India’s innings began to quickly fall apart.

Hazlewood got another leg before wicket decision, this time on Ravichandran Ashwin for one and India were three wickets away from defeat with 11.4 overs left. Yet that was as close as the Australians got at the end.

The highest successful run chase in the fourth innings of a Sydney Test remains Australia’s 288 for two against South Africa nine years ago.

Vijay gave a few chances before his dismissal, offering a tough chance to Shaun Marsh at short cover on 42 off Ryan Harris in 37th over.

Marsh had two grabs at the ball before it went to ground.

It was Australia’s 17th missed fielding opportunity in the series.

But Rohit Sharma was out for 39 in the next over when Steve Smith took a brilliant flying right-handed catch at second slip off Watson.

First innings centurion Lokesh Rahul was the only wicket to fall in the morning session.

He advanced down the wicket only to glove Lyon to David Warner at leg-slip for 16 in the 14th over.

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India earn tense draw in final Test against Aussies

Windies back to bad habits as India level series

NEW DELHI, India (CMC) — A now familiar batting implosion derailed West Indies’ run chase, as the Caribbean side quickly returned to their old habits in a 48-run defeat to India here yesterday.

In pursuit of 264 for victory in the second One-Day International at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, West Indies slumped from 170 for two in the 36th over to 215 all out off 46.3 overs – losing their last eight wickets for just 45 runs.

Opener Dwayne Smith missed out on a maiden ODI hundred with a run-a-ball career-best 97, and it was his dismissal in the 36th over that triggered the fatal slide.

Kieron Pollard, promoted to number three, managed 40 from 50 balls, while Darren Bravo, who opened with Smith, scored 26 from 44 deliveries.

They were the only three batsmen to pass 20, however, as seamer Mohammed Shami (4-36) combined with left-arm spinner Ravi Jadeja (3-44) to destroy the innings.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, finding bounce and turn, dried up the scoring in the middle overs and put pressure on the middle order and his spell of two for 40 from his 10 overs proved incisive.

India had earlier posted 263 for seven off their 50 overs, with Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina both striking 62 and captain MS Dhoni rallying the innings at the end with an important unbeaten 51 off 40 balls.

Fast bowler Jerome Taylor picked up three wickets, but conceded an expensive 54 runs from his 10 overs.

The defeat saw India level the five-match series at 1-1, with the third match carded for Tuesday in Visakhapatnam.

Coming off a clinical performance in Wednesday’s first ODI in Kochi, the Windies had hoped for a repeat but sustaining those lofty standards proved beyond their reach.

They started well, however, reducing India to 74 for three in the 18th over, after the hosts won the toss and opted for first knock.

Taylor got one to come back to Shikhar Dhawan (1) in the second over to hit the left-hander’s off-stump with the score on four and his partner Ajinkya Rahane added 46 for the second wicket with Ambati Rayudu (32), before driving medium pacer Darren Sammy’s slower ball to Dwayne Bravo at cover, to fall for 12 in the 13th over.

When Rayudu, who faced 54 balls and struck three fours, edged left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn to Sammy at slip in the 18th over, the Windies were in command.

However, Kohli and Raina breathed life into the innings with a fourth-wicket stand of 105, a partnership that set the ground work for India’s late rally.

The right-handed Kohli faced 78 balls and struck five fours, while Raina lasted 70 balls and counted five fours and two sixes.

They eventually fell within 23 balls of each other, Raina holing out to Pollard at long-off off Taylor and Kohli also perishing in the deep, with Samuels taking the catch inches away from the ropes off seamer Ravi Rampaul.

On 196 for five in the 41st over, India needed someone to drive the innings and Dhoni stepped forward, hitting five fours and a six in shepherding the lower order.

In reply, West Indies got a patient start from Smith and Darren Bravo, the pair putting on 64 off 79 balls in a measured partnership.

Smith’s first 11 balls yielded just four runs but he blossomed well to hit 11 fours and two sixes. Darren Bravo never quite got going, and was bowled off-stump by Mohammed Shami playing down the wrong line, after counting two fours.

Smith and Pollard seemed to have put the Windies on course for victory in their 82-run, second-wicket partnership that lasted 94 balls.

Both played circumspectly but Pollard was unusually subdued with six runs from his first 16 balls. He cleared mid-wicket for six with Jadeja to mark his first boundary in the 19th over, and added a four and two more sixes, before missing a heave at Mishra in the 29th over and playing on at 136 for two.

Smith, meanwhile, picked off the boundaries when they came and moved to 48 by hammering seamer Umesh Yadav through cover for his sixth four in the 20th over before bringing up his seventh ODI half-century with a single to long-on in the next over.

He celebrated by lifting Mishra into the stands at mid-wicket and then smashed three fours off Kohli’s second over, the 32nd of the innings, to race to 87.

Smith struck Mohammed Shami cleanly back overhead for six to move to within three of a century, but was bowled off the very next ball, playing on to one that swung in, hit his pads and disturbed his stumps.

Stroke-maker Marlon Samuels was almost unrecognisable from the player who reeled off a sublime unbeaten 126 in the first ODI, and endured a painful struggle for 16 off 38 balls.

It was almost a relief when he swatted Yadav to Kohli at cover at the start of the 40th over at 183 for four, but those following him proved just as wasteful.

Scoreboard

INDIA

A Rahane c DJ Bravo b Sammy 12

S Dhawan b Taylor 1

A Rayudu c Sammy b Benn 32

V Kohli c Samuels b Rampaul 62

S Raina c Pollard b Taylor 62

*+MS Dhoni not out 51

R Jadeja b Taylor 6

B Kumar c Pollard b DJ Bravo 18

Mohammed Shami not out 1

Extras (b4, lb1, w13) 18

TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 263

Did not bat: A Mishra, U Yadav.

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Dhawan, 1.4 overs), 2-50 (Rahane, 12.5), 3-74 (Rayudu, 17.4), 4-179 (Raina, 36.5), 5-196 (Kohli, 40.4), 6-219 (Jadeja, 45.1), 7-248 (Kumar, 49)

Bowling: Rampaul 8-0-47-1 (w2), Taylor 10-0-54-3 (w2), Benn 10-0-47-1 (w1), DJ Bravo 8-0-51-1 (1w), Sammy 4-0-14-1, Samuels 5-1-21-0, Russell 3-0-14-0 (w2), Pollard 2-0-10-0.

WEST INDIES

D Smith b Mohammed Shami 97

DM Bravo b Mohammed Shami 26

K Pollard b Mishra 40

M Samuels c Kohli b Yadav 16

+D Ramdin c Raina b Mishra 3

*DJ Bravo c Dhawan b Mohammed Shami 10

A Russell st Dhoni b Jadeja 4

D Sammy b Jadeja 1

R Rampaul c & b Mohammed Shami 16

J Taylor c Kumar b Jadeja 0

S Benn not out 0

Extras (lb1, w1) 2

TOTAL (all out, 46.3 overs) 215

Fall of wickets: 1-64 (DM Bravo, 13.1 overs), 2-136 (Pollard, 28.5), 3-170 (Smith, 35.4), 4-183 (Samuels, 39.1), 5-189 (Ramdin, 40.2), 6-195 (Russell, 42.1), 7-199 (Sammy, 43), 8-199 (DJ Bravo, 43.2), 9-201 (Taylor, 44.2), 10-215 (Rampaul, 46.3)

Bowling: Kumar 7-0-32-0, Yadav 9 9-0-42-1, Mohammed Shami 9.3-0-36-4, Jadeja 9-0-44-3 (w1), Mishra 10-2-40-2, Kohli 2-0-20-0.

Result: India won by 48 runs.

Series: Five-match series level 1-1.

Man-of-the-Match: Mohammed Shami.

Toss: India.

Umpires: I Gould, S Ravi; TV – C Shamshuddin.

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Windies back to bad habits as India level series

Cyclone Hudhud pounds eastern India

12 October 2014 Last updated at 15:41 The BBC’s Sameer Hashmi reports from Mumbai

Cyclone Hudhud is pounding the eastern Indian coast, causing extensive damage and prompting the evacuation of some 350,000 people.

At least three people have been killed in Andhra Pradesh and three in Orissa.

The cyclone, classed “very severe”, brought winds of 205km/h (127mph), as it passed over the coast near the city of Visakhapatnam.

The winds and heavy rains have brought down trees and power lines, and damaged crops and buildings in both states.

It is feared a storm surge of up to two metres could inundate low-lying areas and hundreds of relief centres have been opened in the two states. Disaster relief teams have also been sent.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababa Naidu said it was too early to assess the damage fully.

“We are unable to ascertain the situation; 70% of communication has totally collapsed,” he said.

“We are asking people not to come out of their houses. We are mobilising men and materiel immediately.”

Flooding fears

The three deaths in Andhra Pradesh occurred in separate incidents in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts, Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao said.

Two were killed by falling trees and one by a collapsing wall.

Anil Shekhawat, from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), told the BBC: “The cyclone has landed… The NDRF is there – we have sent around 42 teams, comprising more than 2,000 rescuers.”

The streets of Visakhapatnam, one of the largest cities in south-east India and home to a major naval base, remain largely deserted.

N Yuvaraj, a senior district official in Visakhapatnam, told the BBC: “We had this cyclone hitting us at around 10:25 Indian Standard Time (04:55 GMT). And at that point we had a wind speed of more than 205km/h.”

A view from the Park Hotel in Visakhapatnam as the cyclone passed over

K Hymavathi, the special commissioner for disaster management for Andhra Pradesh state, said: “Hundreds of trees have been uprooted and power lines knocked down.”

He added: “The situation is very severe. The national highway in the region has been shut.”

Local journalist Hridayesh Joshi told the BBC from Visakhapatnam: “The situation is becoming increasingly bad. There is very strong wind and rain right now – objects are flying and smashing things.

“We are relatively safe in the centre of town, but the danger is for those in open areas. We are hoping it won’t get much worse.”

An elderly woman is carried to a relief camp in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, amid warnings over Hudhud The effects of the strong winds are felt on Sunday on a beach in Gopalpur in Orissa

In its latest report, the India Meteorological Department said sea conditions would become “phenomenal” off the north Andhra Pradesh and south Orissa coasts.

It also warned that a storm surge of up to two metres would “inundate low-lying areas of Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam”.

Peter Gibbs has the latest on this powerful storm as it hits India

The director of the Bhubaneswar centre of the IMD, Sarat Sahu, told the BBC that Hudhud was “likely to trigger heavy rains in most parts of south Orissa and the neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh and Telengana”, raising fears of heavy flooding.

India’s eastern coast and Bangladesh are routinely hit by cyclonic storms between April and November which cause deaths and widespread damage to property.

A super-cyclone in 1999 killed more than 10,000 people in Orissa.

Last October as many as 500,000 people in India were evacuated when a severe cyclone called Phailin swept through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states.

Do you live in areas expected to be hit by Cyclone Hudhud? Send us your experiences by emailing to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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Cyclone Hudhud pounds eastern India

India 2016 tour of Caribbean under threat

Saturday, October 18, 2014 | 3:20 PM    

MUMBAI, India (CMC) — The West Indies Cricket Board’s finances could take another huge hit with the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) saying Saturday it was now reviewing its 2016 tour of the Caribbean.

Indian officials are fuming after West Indies players abandoned the one-day tour of India Friday, following the fourth One-Day International in Dharamsala, over a pay dispute with their union, the West Indies Players Association.

The players’ move scuppered Monday’s final ODI carded for Kolkata, the lone Twenty20 International in Cuttack on Wednesday, and the three-Test series that was expected to bowl off October 30th.

“It will be very difficult to play West Indies in bilateral series in future. They have to demonstrate the willingness that such situations never happen again,” international media quoted BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel as saying.

“I would say that India’s next tour of West Indies is highly unlikely to go ahead in the current situation.”

The series started under a cloud of uncertainty with West Indies players threatening to withdraw their services ahead of the first ODI in Kochi, over their contractual grouse with WIPA.

They argued the new terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which WIPA signed recently with the West Indies Cricket Board, would result in a drastic reduction in their earnings.?

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India 2016 tour of Caribbean under threat

Windies end India tour over pay row

West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo and India’s Suresh Raina pictured during this year’s World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka

West Indies have pulled out of their India tour after a day of confusion and conflicting statements from both sides.

India’s board said it was “shocked and disappointed”  after being told by the West Indies board that its players would be leaving after Friday’s one-day game because of a pay dispute.

The West Indies board initially denied making a decision to end the tour but later confirmed the news.

India will instead play Sri Lanka in a five-match one-day series in November.

India led West Indies 2-1 in the ODI series after their 59-run win in the fourth match in Dharamsala on Friday.

The teams were scheduled to play one more ODI, a one-off Twenty20 international and three Tests.

December 2014-January 2015: Tour of South Africa – three Tests, three Twenty20 internationals, five ODIs

February-March 2015: ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand

April-May 2015: Three-match Test series v England

Captain Dwayne Bravo said after Friday’s game that the tour had ended and all-rounder Darren Sammy later tweeted:  “Honey I’m coming home.”

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) released a statement on Facebook  saying that Bravo had informed them “the players have taken a decision to withdraw their services for the remainder of the tour of India”.

The WICB offered to field a replacement team for the remainder of the tour but said that “was not considered acceptable” by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The WICB apologised to West Indies fans, cricket fans and the BCCI for this “most regrettable situation”.

The confusion started on Friday morning when the BCCI released a statement saying that the WICB had called off the tour.

“The withdrawal gives little thought to the future of the game, the players and the long-standing relations between the BCCI and the WICB,” the BCCI said.

However, three hours later the WICB released a statement denying the BCCI’s claim.

A further statement was then issued by the BCCI documenting a full timeline  of the WICB’s withdrawal from the tour.

West Indies one-day captain Dwayne Bravo is among the senior players to reject the latest pay deal

All of this took place whilst the fourth ODI in Dharamsala was ongoing.

After the match, Bravo said: “Not only has today been tough, but the whole tour has been tough for us.

“Everyone has stuck together despite what’s going on. We’re looking forward to playing for the West Indies again soon.”

The dispute between the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) concerns the signing of a new agreement covering pay and conditions.

It was rejected by senior players, including Bravo, who demanded WIPA chief Wavell Hinds, a former Test opener, resign.

West Indies went ahead and played Friday’s ODI after team manager Richie Richardson reportedly confirmed by email to the BCCI  their intention to withdraw from the tour.

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding said it was a “very disappointing scenario”.

He told Sky Sports: “Unfortunately it’s come to the point where the players decided they were standing together, and they are totally dissatisfied with the way they have been treated.

“I have never seen anything like this happen in the past and I do not understand why the WICB have taken this stance.”

West Indies were the dominant force in world cricket from the mid-1970s until the early-1990s, winning the first two World Cups, but have slumped to eighth in the Test and one-day rankings.

In 2009, the WIPA and WICB were involved in a similar dispute when 13 leading players, including then captain Chris Gayle, went on strike and missed a two-Test series at home to Bangladesh. Bangladesh won both Tests to record only their second series win in history.

The latest impasse comes less than four months before the World Cup  in Australia and New Zealand.

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Windies end India tour over pay row

WI loses key bowler Sunil Narine for faceoff with India

Saturday, October 04, 2014 | 1:01 PM    

MUMBAI, India (CMC) — West Indies’ chances in the upcoming one-day series against India has been dealt a severe blow, with the West Indies Cricket Board opting to pull champion off-spinner Sunil Narine from the 14-man squad.

The move comes after the Trinidadian right-armer was twice reported for having a suspected illegal action during the Champions League Twenty20 and was subsequently banned from bowling in the tournament.

A replacement for Narine is expected to be named shortly with combative left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn widely expected to fill the breach.

In a release late Friday night, the WICB said the decision to withdraw Narine from the tour was taken after discussions with the player, the selection panel and the West Indies team management, and said the time off would allow the bowler the opportunity to have his action assessed.

Chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd said he was “disappointed” by the latest development which saw Narine reported by umpires following Kolkata Knight Riders’ final preliminary CLT20 game last Monday and then following Thursday’s semi-final.

Lloyd, the legendary former West Indies captain, said West Indies were requesting “clarity” on the situation so the team could plan their way forward.

“I am disappointed that our best bowler could suddenly be out of the tour. I am quite disappointed about the procedure that surrounded the ‘calling’ of Sunil in the Champions [League] tournament,” Lloyd said.

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WI loses key bowler Sunil Narine for faceoff with India

South Africa beats India, takes series 1-0

DURBAN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa won retiring allrounder Jacques Kallis’ last Test yesterday to take the series against India with a 10-wicket victory on the final day at Kingsmead.

South African openers Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith comfortably chased down the victory target of 58 and the home team finished 59 without loss in its second innings soon after tea to claim the short two-game contest 1-0.Smith ended the game with a six and then a four and raised his arms to the dressing room where Kallis was sitting. Kallis was then carried across the field on the shoulders of teammates holding a South African flag for a lap of honour around the same ground where he made his debut as a 20-year-old prodigy in 1995.He surprised many by announcing on Christmas Day that he would retire following one last Test.After Kallis made an emotional farewell century on Sunday — the 45th of his career — as top-ranked South Africa powered toward its victory over number two India early on the final day when fast bowler Dale Steyn struck off the first ball of the day and the Proteas’ bowlers took eight Indian second-innings wickets for 155 in a session-and-a-half.Steyn and fellow fast bowler Vernon Philander finished with three wickets each and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson had 4-74 as South Africa romped to the win to mark the 38-year-old Kallis’ 166th and last Test.Kallis made more than 13,000 Test runs and also took 292 wickets in his 18-year career on South Africa’s Test team to go down as one of cricket’s greatest allrounders.Only Ajinkya Rahane resisted among India’s batsmen on the last day to make 96 before falling four short of a maiden Test century.SCOREBOARDIndia 1st Innings: 334South Africa 1st Innings: 500India 2nd Innings(Overnight: 68-2)Shikhar Dhawan c Du Plessis b Peterson 19Murali Vijay c Smith b Philander 6Cheteshwar Pujara b Steyn 32Virat Kohli c De Villiers b Steyn 11Rohit Sharma lbw b Philander 25Ajinkya Rahane b Philander 96Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Petersen b Peterson 15Ravindra Jadeja c Morkel b Peterson 8Zaheer Khan lbw b Peterson 3Ishant Sharma c De Villiers b Steyn 1Mohammed Shami not out 1Extras: (4b, 2w) 6TOTAL: (all out) 223Overs: 86.Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-53, 3-68, 4-71, 5-104, 6-146, 7-154, 8-189, 9-206.Bowling: Dale Steyn 21-8-47-3 (1w), Vernon Philander 16-4-43-3, Morne Morkel 16-6-34-0, Robin Peterson 24-3-74-4 (1w), JP Duminy 8-2-20-0, Faf du Plessis 1-0-1-0.South Africa 2nd Innings (Target: 58)Alviro Petersen not out 31Graeme Smith not out 27Extras: (1w) 1TOTAL: (for 0 wickets) 59Overs: 11.4Did not bat: Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.Bowling: Mohammed Shami 2-1-4-0, Ishant Sharma 5-1-29-0 (1w), Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-16-0, Rohit Sharma 0.4-0-10-0.Umpires: Steve Davis, Australia, and Rod Tucker, Australia.TV Umpire: Adrian Holdstock, South Africa. Match Referee: Andy Pycroft, Zimbabwe.PHOTO: CRICKET THREECAPTION – India’s Rohit Sharma avoids a bouncer during the fifth day of the second and final cricket Test match between South Africa and India at the Sahara stadium Kingsmead, South Africa.PHOTO: CRICKET SIXCAPTION – South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is carried by teammates after the completion yesterday of the Test match against India at the Kingsmeade ground in South Africa in which Kallis played his last Test match. (PHOTOS: AP)

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South Africa beats India, takes series 1-0

West Indies "A" arrive in India for series

Sport

Saturday, September 14, 2013

BANGALORE, India (CMC) — The West Indies ‘A’ side for the limited-over series against India ‘A’ arrived here on Thursday.The team, led by Kieran Powell, will begin their tour with the first 50-over match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.The vice-captain Veerasammy Permaul, though, is due to join the team today.Besides Powell and Permaul, the side for the three 50-over contests and the one T20 game includes the likes of Andre Russell, Andre Fletcher, Devon Thomas, Kirk Edwards, Nikita Miller and Narsingh Deonarine, all of whom have featured in the senior team.The limited-over series in Bangalore will be followed by the four-day games in Mysore, Shimoga and Hubli.

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West Indies "A" arrive in India for series

Russell plans to take CPL success to India

Sport

Saturday, August 31, 2013

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) — All-rounder Andre Russell says he plans to carry his success in the just ended Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) into the West Indies ‘A’ tour of India in September.Russell has been included as a member of the squad to play three One-Day and one Twenty20 preceding three ‘Test’ matches.“I’m grateful for the opportunity to get back into the West Indies set-up,” Russell said.“‘A’ team cricket is the next step from the international scene.”Russell featured prominently in Jamaica Tallawahs securing title honours in the inaugural CPL.He finished sixth in the top-scorers chart with 203 runs made with a league-leading strike rate of 189.71.“I will remain positive and try to be as successful as possible with the bat and the ball,” said Russell, a member of the West Indies team which won the ICC World T20 Championship last year.“It will be hard work in the hot sun in India. I’m resting up right now and looking to get my fitness up.”Russell has faded from the senior West Indies outfit since the Zimbabwe home series in March.However, the Jamaican cricketer, who hit the most sixes in the CPL, said he will return as an all-rounder and not just a batsman.“I will still back my bowling. There’s always room for improvement and I’m still a bowler even though it’s been the bat I’ve shone with lately,” he said.“I improved on my field-setting and players like (Vernon) Philander, (Kumar) Sangakkara and (Muttiah) Muralitharan have helped me in their chats. Their experience added a lot for me. My death bowling has improved. Starting my spell was my problem, but now I am starting better with the ball,”said the Jamaican.RUSSELL… I’m grateful for the opportunity to get back into the West Indies set-

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Russell plans to take CPL success to India

Edwards, Powell to lead Windies A squads to India

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has announced A-team squads to tour India next month for “Tests”, One-Day and T20 matches.

Kirk Edwards will lead the side in the three “Tests” against India-A, and Kieran Powell will captain the side in the three One-Day and one Twenty20 that precede the “Tests”, said a WICB statement released Monday.Edwards will be leading the side again, following a home series against Sri Lanka-A in June this year, when West Indies-A drew a two “Test” series before clinching a three-match One-Day series 2-1, and a two-match T20 series 1-0.“It’s a great honour to captain the West Indies at any level, and I’m looking forward to the trip to India,” he said.“In addition to the honour there is great responsibility and, as one of the most experienced members of the squad, I know I will have a very important leadership role to perform on and off the field.”Powell is seeking to regain his place in the senior West Indies side after injury forced him to miss the ICC Champions Trophy, Celkon Mobile Cup Series, and home series against Pakistan before making his return in the just-ended Caribbean Premier League.“This upcoming tour of India will be a challenging one, but as players we know it is a great opportunity to represent the West Indies and look to do well on the international stage,” said the left-handed opener.“I played in India before and it’s a great place for cricket with the crowds, the atmosphere and the level of competition. We anticipate a good, competitive series. I’m eager and confident as we prepare for the tour and I know all the other players are as well.”West Indies-A – led by Veerasammy Permaul – prevailed over India-A in a home series in June last year, when they won a three “Test” series 2-1 and followed up with 1-1 drawn series in the One-Day and T20 formats.“Test” squad — Kirk Edwards (captain), Kieran Powell (vice-captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Miguel Cummins, Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Jahmar Hamilton, Delorn Johnson, Leon Johnson, Nikita Miller, Veerasammy Permaul, Shane Shillingford, Chadwick Walton.One-day & Twenty20 squad — Kieran Powell (captain), Veerasammy Permaul (vice-captain), Ronsford Beaton, Nkrumah Bonner, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Miguel Cummins, Narsingh Deonarine, Kirk Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Leon Johnson, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse, Andre Russell, Devon Thomas.POWELL… is seeking to regain his place in the senior West Indies side after injury forced him to miss the ICC Champions TrophyEDWARDS… will be leading the side again, following a home series against Sri Lanka-A in June this year

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Edwards, Powell to lead Windies A squads to India

Dhoni could lead India against Sri Lanka in today"s ODI final

Sport

Thursday, July 11, 2013

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP) — India and Sri Lanka meet yet again, this time in the final of the Tri-Nation Series at Queen’s Park Oval today, amid increasing speculation that Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be back to lead the World Cup and Champions Trophy holders.Dhoni sustained a right hamstring strain while batting against the West Indies in his team’s first match of the tournament on June 30 at Sabina Park in Kingston, and an announcement was made the following day that he was ruled out of the rest of the competition with uncapped batsman Ambati Rayudu being flown in as his replacement.However, India’s most successful captain ever has remained with the squad, and while there has as yet been no official word from the touring party, his presence on the field in pre-match warm-ups and in full team uniform during and after the final preliminary fixture against the Sri Lankans on Tuesday increase the likelihood that he will be back at the helm for the final.Stand-in captain Virat Kohli hinted as much at the toss ahead of the comprehensive victory over Angelo Mathews’ side when he expressed hope that Dhoni had been recovering well enough to be able to play if they had gotten through to the final.Should he be passed fit, it is expected that Murali Vijay will make way for the man increasingly regarded as the finest international captain in the contemporary game.With or without Dhoni though, India are bracing for a much tougher Sri Lankan challenge than what transpired on Tuesday when fast-medium bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced the outstanding figures of four for eight and engineered the demolition of the 1996 World Cup winners for just 96.Sri Lanka had all but qualified for the final ahead of that encounter and their performance with the bat on the way to an 81-run defeat on the Duckworth/Lewis Scoring Method reflected a noticeable lack of intensity that is not expected to be repeated in the final.They have their own injury concerns with a question mark lingering over the availability of fast-medium bowler Nuwan Kulasekara, who injured a finger on his left hand while attempting to take a return catch off Chris Gayle in the match against the West Indies that concluded on Monday.Given the almost inevitable intervention of inclement weather at the start of the rainy season in the Caribbean, the toss is again expected to be a key factor this morning while both teams will be tailoring their tactics in keeping with the unsettled conditions in the air and the green, seamer-friendly pitch that should make for an intriguing duel.DHONI… sustained a right hamstring strain while batting against the West Indies at Sabina Park on June 30

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Dhoni could lead India against Sri Lanka in today"s ODI final