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Lyon Five-For Gives Australia Advantage in 2nd Test

West Indies v Australia, 2nd Test, Port-of-Spain, 3rd day

The Report Andrew McGlashan

April 17, 2012

West Indies 252 for 9 (Chanderpaul 94, Deonarine 55, Baugh 17*, Edwards 0*, Lyon 5-68) trail Australia 311 by 59 runs

West Indies came close to having a very good day in Port-of-Spain but finished on the verge of conceding a significant first-innings lead to Australia. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who fell six short of another hundred, and Narsingh Deonarine added 130 for the fifth wicket before Nathan Lyon broke the resistance then swept through the lower order with the second five-wicket haul of his career to leave West Indies trailing by 59 and the last pair together.

Nothing appeared more certain than Chanderpaul reaching his 26th Test century, and second of the series, after another masterful display of defiance but he was pinned lbw by Lyon from around the wicket - the fifth such decision of the innings. Opposition teams expend huge energy trying to shift Chanderpaul, but know there are likely to be some easier rewards once he has gone. To make the timing even worse for West Indies, two overs earlier Deonarine's excellent supporting hand had also been ended when, with his first ball back into the attack, Lyon drew him down the pitch and Matthew Wade showed the importance of having a tidy wicketkeeper.

Lyon had be brought back to the bowling crease with the second new-ball only seven overs after Ben Hilfenhaus and James Pattinson had not made the most of it. He waited until his 21st over for a wicket but a bowlers' lot can change in a flash. Darren Sammy, in an attempt to repeat his breezy first innings in Barbados, picked out long-on and Shane Shillingford added to his opposite number's success when he got an inside edge that was superbly held by Ed Cowan at short leg. Lyon's fifth wicket came when Kemar Roach was given caught down the leg side although Wade was more interested in the stumping opportunity. Australia's new keeper was impressive in tough conditions, not conceding a bye in 104 overs.

The evening collapse of five for 19 in 12 overs was another example of West Indies not being able to sustain a performance for long enough to take control. The 44 overs that Chanderpaul and Deonarine combined (and the period when Darren Bravo was also at the crease) was another of those uplifting passages that West Indies are just managing to produce slightly more regularly. Chanderpaul's role came was no surprise but Deonarine showed application that was less well known, remaining calm as he reached 4 off 43 balls before beginning to expand his strokeplay either side of lunch.

Before Lyon's intervention Australia's only breakthrough had come from Michael Hussey as Michael Clarke again went through his book of captaincy tricks. On a surface gripping for medium-pacers Hussey, developing something of a golden-arm of late, and Shane Watson were tough to score off. Hussey produced a delivery that swung late to beat Bravo and take his back pad. Again, though, Bravo had given flashes of what makes him stand out as a batsman particularly his off-side driving.

Chanderpaul had been given a life on 8, off Lyon's bowling, when Clarke could not hold a thick edge at slip which came off Wade's pad. Alongside Deonarine he initially focused solely on survival - although Deonarine was inches from being run-out the ball before lunch - but at the start of the afternoon session Australia lost their way a little and the batsmen cashed in.

Pattinson struggled with his rhythm throughout the day and later left the field with back spasms after an awkward piece of fielding. His first over of then afternoon was taken for 16 by Chanderpaul which included three boundaries alongside two no-balls. Deonarine was not all defence, either, and a whip through midwicket off Lyon stood out before he launched David Warner over midwicket for six. Rain brought an early tea, but had not seemed to disrupt West Indies.

Chanderpaul brought up the 200 with another six, a slog-sweep off Michael Beer, and when Deonarine's third half-century arrived from 132 balls with a rasping cover drive thoughts were even turning to the potential of the hosts building a first-innings lead that would put the pressure back on Australia. Then, however, Test cricket showed that despite it being the longest format a strong position can unravel in the blink of an eye. And, for West Indies, it was a familiar feeling.

West Indies v Australia, 2nd Test, Port-of-Spain, 2nd day

The Report by Andrew McGlashan

April 16, 2012

West Indies 49 for 3 (Bravo 16*, Chanderpaul 1*) trail Australia 311 (Hussey 73, Watson 56, Roach 5-105) by 262 runs

Australia took a long time to manoeuvre their position with the bat in Port-of-Spain but far less with the ball. Their total of 311, engineered on the second day by Michael Hussey and James Pattinson, was soon shown in its true value as West Indies stumbled to 49 for 3 at the close with the top order floundering against pace and spin.

Hussey and Pattinson added 89 for seventh wicket as Australia batted through to tea on rain-interrupted day. Their effort was put into greater context when the last four wickets fell for 14 and the swift fall of batsmen continued when West Indies started their reply. By stumps the home side were already facing a daunting task to stay in contention in the match and the series. It seemed, as ever, that their hopes lay largely with Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Michael Clarke continued to show the innovative side of his captaincy by handing the new ball to the left-arm spin of Michael Beer, who was playing just his second Test, and he was an immediate threat with deliveries gripping to beat the outside edge. It was Ben Hilfenhaus, though, who struck first with a testing spell of outswing when a delivery straightened on Kriagg Braithwaite and would have clipped leg stump.

Adrian Barath took 26 balls to get off the mark and was soon simply, yet beautifully, set up by Beer. Barath had driven on the up through the covers and Beer responded with a delivery that ripped past a defensive push before sending down the arm ball which trapped Barath on the back foot.

Barath was absolutely right not to review, but the same can't be said of Kieran Powell. He had played a couple of pleasing drives before facing Pattinson's first delivery which swung back into him. Ian Gould gave the decision but replays showed it had pitched outside leg stump. With Australia sensing further inroads Darren Bravo and Chanderpaul did well to prevent a terminal collapse.

West Indies' bowlers cannot be faulted for their endeavours but were not always supported in the field. Hussey passed fifty from 136 balls but should have been removed before the landmark. He was given his second life by Carlton Baugh on 47 when he advanced down the pitch to the probing Shane Shillingford, and was beaten by turn and bounce, only for Baugh to be unable to gather the take to complete the stumping. It was not easy, but should have been taken. On the first day Baugh dropped Hussey on 5 and he made West Indies' job even tougher.

Narsingh Deonarine, who is developing the knack of breaking partnerships, eventually ended Hussey's stay when he lured him into a drive. Soon afterwards Pattinson's equally valuable contribution which spanned 119 deliveries was cut off when a leading edge looped high into the off side to give Shillingford a hard-earned third wicket.

Australia had lost a wicket without adding to their overnight total when Matthew Wade edged Kemar Roach to first slip. Roach and Edwards then gave Pattinson a tough welcome to the crease with a series of deliveries that beat the outside edge while Edwards also struck him on the forearm with a short ball, something Roach repeated later on, but Pattinson stood his ground to provide priceless support for Hussey.

Hussey pulled a rare short delivery from Shillingford through midwicket but the offspinner provided another tough examination for the batsmen. Hussey needed all his skill to survive; sometimes playing from deep in the crease then trying to stretch forward and also employing the sweep.

Pattinson picked off a loose delivery from Darren Sammy with a cut and then slashed another boundary past a diving third slip as West Indies were, once again, frustrated by the batting of one of Australia's bowlers. Although plenty of turn was on offer, the lack of pace in the wicket made it hard work for the bowlers and a couple of edges created by Shillingford did not carry to slip. Edwards, meanwhile, would have just been happy to find the edge as Pattinson continued to play and miss.

Occasionally the dot balls and maidens were punctuated by a boundary, the most empathic of which was when Hussey swept Shillingford into the stands over midwicket. Pattinson did not lose much in comparison as he showed a very solid defensive technique and the footwork to attack rare loose deliveries.

Roach made swift work of the remaining resistance when he bowled Hilfenhaus off his pads and two balls later pinned Beer lbw. To many people's surprise Beer was the man to deliver the next ball of the Test. It was the turn of Australia's spinners, but their quick bowlers were an equal threat.

Australia Scored 208/5 on Day 1 of 2nd Test Against West Indies

West Indies v Australia, 2nd Test, Port-of-Spain, 1st day

The Report by Andrew McGlashan

April 15, 2012

Australia 208 for 5 (Watson 56, Hussey 26*, Wade 11*) v West Indies

Fluent strokeplay has not been top of the agenda in this series and the opening day in Port-of-Spain was another where the batsmen had to grind for their rewards. With that in mind, Australia were better placed than 208 for 5 might imply but West Indies ensured they stayed within range with Shane Shillingford, the tall offspinner, impressive on his return to Test cricket.

The turn that Shillingford - and, to a lesser extent, Narsingh Deonarine - found on a first-day pitch suggested that anything around 300 would be a good total while Australia have two frontline spinners to exploit conditions after recalling Michael Beer to partner Nathan Lyon. Once the hardness had gone from the ball, which allowed Australia to reach 42 after 10 overs, the remaining 80 overs of the day brought 166 runs with West Indies opting not to take the second new ball.

Shane Watson was the mainstay of the innings for more than three hours as he ground his way to a half-century from 128 balls. Boundary opportunities had been rare for Watson, and mostly came when the quick bowlers offered width, before he got an inside edge to short leg where it was superbly held by Adrian Barath who had to reach upwards for the catch.

It was a deserved second wicket for Shillingford, who earlier struck fifth delivery playing his first Test since remodelling his bowling action, after he had twice been denied the opportunity to double his tally. Once that was by technology and another by the inconsistent glovework of Carlton Baugh, who dropped Michael Hussey when he had 5 from one which turned sharply to take the glove.

Shortly after tea Shillingford was awarded an lbw against Michael Clarke but the Australia captain reviewed, by the looks of it at the time more out of hope than expectation. However, the replays showed he had been struck outside off stump on the back pad so survived and even shared his slight surprise with the close fielders.

Clarke couldn't cash in on the reprieve when he managed to pull a long hop from Deonarine to deep square-leg having briefly provided the most fluent batting of the day when he took the attack to Kemar Roach at the start of the final session. Roach, who had earlier collected the important wickets of Ed Cowan and Ricky Ponting, was more than twice as expensive as any other of the bowlers and offered Clarke width to drive as the fourth-wicket stand with Watson grew to 84.

Soon, though. Australia had to rebuild again and without Ryan Harris or Peter Siddle in the lower order - the former surprisingly rested, the latter suffering a stiff back - there is a longer tail than in Barbados when they hauled the visitors out of trouble and into the ascendency. But with Michael Hussey still present West Indies could yet rue Baugh's mistake. Matthew Wade was also put down, on 2, although the chance to Kraigg Braithwaite at short leg was tough.

West Indies thought they had taken a wicket in the first over the day when David Warner was given out caught behind by the umpire Marais Erasmus before Darren Sammy indicated the ball had not carried to the keeper. That was clearly the case and replays also showed it was also nowhere near the edge but if Erasmus had given the decision as lbw on-field it would have stood.

After that early intrigue Australia moved along at a healthy rate as both Warner and Cowan latched onto anything short, although Warner also had to battle to survive against Roach when the fast bowler went round the wicket and probed the outside edge. It was Shillingford who provided the breakthrough with his fifth ball when he enticed Warner to drive at a full delivery which spun enough to find the edge and Sammy pocketed a simple catch at slip.

Shortly before lunch Cowan was extracted lbw from around the wicket by Roach, who then added Ponting in the sixth over of the afternoon session with a beauty to square up the batsman and find the outside edge. However, the wicket did not come easily as Baugh palmed the chance away but, fortunately for the home side, Sammy was alert at slip to collect the rebound.

Bangladesh in Pakistan 2012

Umar Farooq

April 15, 2012

Pakistan is 'ready' for the return of international cricket to the country, after Bangladesh confirmed they would tour for a short limited-overs series at the end of this month. Bangladesh will be the first Full Member of the ICC to tour Pakistan since March 2009.

The teams will play two matches, an ODI and a T20, both at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The ODI is scheduled for April 29 and the T20 for April 30

"We are ready to host them," Intikhab Alam, PCB's director for international operations told ESPNcricinfo. "We have world-class stadiums that are always ready to host cricket all year long. Everything is in place so there is no difficulty for us to host them at short notice."

There's been no international cricket in Pakistan since March 2009, after terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka team bus and a van carrying ICC officials to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, on what would have been the third day of the second Test of that tour. Some members of the Sri Lanka contingent and reserve umpire Ahsan Raza sustained injuries, and six security personnel and two civilians were killed.

Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi said the security situation in the country had improved over the last three years.

"It's a major breakthrough and I am excited to see Bangladesh touring Pakistan," Afridi told ESPNcricinfo. "It is a much-needed development. Not only will it revive international cricket here, the people in the country will also be entertained.

"Obviously the incident in Lahore (terror attack) was unfortunate but Pakistan has learnt its lessons. I understand the security concerns are up on their minds but things have improved and everything will go well. I have always believed that cricket is a game which keeps a relationship cordial between two countries. All countries should support Pakistan in a time of difficulty."

The PCB, under the chairman Zaka Ashraf, has been keen to revive international cricket in Pakistan, using all its resources and engaging the government to provide full-fledged security to visiting teams. Pakistan have been playing their "home series" in off-shore venues like UAE, New Zealand and England. There's also a plan to "host" Australia in Sri Lanka later this year.

Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner, who turned down a county offer to remain home with his family, welcomed the fact that the team will not have to travel outside the country to play this series.

"Playing our home series in Pakistan is always helpful," Ajmal said. "Though we have been playing in similar conditions in UAE, there are so many factors involved that give you the advantage. The news about Bangladesh touring Pakistan is good for players and the country."

West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Bridgetown, 5th day

The Report by Brydon Coverdale

April 11, 2012

Australia 406 for 9 dec and 192 for 7 (Watson 52, Deonarine 4-53) beat West Indies 449 for 9 dec and 148 (Hilfenhaus 4-27, Harris 3-31) by 3 wickets

Five years after Australia won the World Cup in a farcical finish in the dark at Kensington Oval, they again celebrated a victory there in fading light as the first Test went to the wire on the fifth afternoon. Set 192 to win in two sessions, the Australians started their chase slowly and were almost derailed by middle-order wickets, but Michael Hussey's calm and rational approach ensured they narrowly outpaced the setting sun to win by three wickets.

In a tense conclusion, Hussey was bowled by Kemar Roach for 32 from 26 balls with three runs still required, but Ryan Harris and Ben Hilfenhaus saw the Australians home and denied West Indies a satisfactory outcome despite them dominating the first three days. Hilfenhaus struck the winning run with a single scrambled to the off side and a direct-hit at the bowler's end was sent to the third umpire, who found Hilfenhaus in his ground by a few inches.

All the while, the players were keeping an eye on the umpires, who were keeping an eye on the light and under the new ICC rules have complete authority to determine whether play continues or ceases. By the last few balls the shadows had completely enveloped the ground but there was just enough time for the Australians, who celebrated a victory that was set up by Michael Clarke's gutsy declaration behind on the fourth day.

It was a decision that indicated Australia would attack in the final few sessions and by dismissing West Indies for 148 before lunch on the last day, they gave themselves hope. West Indies were not out of the contest either, and four wickets to Narsingh Deonarine gave them more that a slim chance, as the Australians still needed 52 runs with five wickets in hand when Clarke became the fourth of Deonarine's victims.

But Hussey used the finishing skills that have made him such a valuable ODI player, reverse-sweeping to find gaps and twice clearing the long-on boundary off Deonarine to bring the target within reach. The loss of Matthew Wade, who cut Roach high and was caught at deep point for 18, was a blow, and the departure of Hussey in Roach's next over kept the game alive, but it wasn't enough for West Indies.

They were left to rue a couple of important dropped catches, particularly the captain Darren Sammy's failure to hang on to a chance when Shane Watson had 4. Watson cut Roach viciously to gully and the ball fizzed through Sammy's hands, and while it was a fearsome stroke it was certainly a catch that should have been taken. Ed Cowan was also reprieved when he edged Sammy and the keeper Carlton Baugh, standing up to the stumps, couldn't glove the ball.

Cowan and Watson compiled a 75-run stand after David Warner was caught behind off Sammy for 23, but their partnership was notable for the snail's pace at which it was built in the early stages. Cowan went to tea on 11 from 61 balls and Australia needed another 131 in the final session, and their lack of urgency seemed at odds with Clarke's aggressive declaration.

The tempo lifted after tea and the dropping of Watson proved costly as he started to find the boundary and on one occasion cleared it. He was caught at deep backward square leg for 52 when he top-edged an attempted pull off Deonarine and Cowan followed soon after for an agonising 34 from 100 balls when he pulled Deonarine straight to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at midwicket.

Ricky Ponting was bowled by a ball that stayed low and Clarke chipped a catch back to Deonarine, before Hussey and Wade steadied the chase. Australia had been favourites when they bowled West Indies out in an extended opening session in which the hosts added 77 to their overnight total for the loss of their last five wickets.

The last specialist batsman, Deonarine, added only one run to his score and was the first to depart, lbw to Harris for 21. It was precisely the start the Australians needed if they were to give themselves time to chase down a target, and they had another perfect chance soon afterwards when Sammy skied a chance to long-on.

Nathan Lyon put down a sitter to give Sammy a life on 12, and nobody was happier than Lyon when Sammy played on to Watson for 14, accidentally kicking the ball on to his stumps as he tried to prevent it rolling back. Baugh chipped a catch to mid-on from the bowling of Hilfenhaus (4 for 27) for 23 and West Indies were in trouble at 116 for 8.

Fidel Edwards defended solidly for a while before he played a surprisingly rash stroke and skied a catch to mid-off for 3 from 17 balls to give Peter Siddle his second wicket, and that brought the No.11 Devendra Bishoo to the crease. Bishoo defended calmly and together with Roach set about eating up time and adding some important runs to the total.

Their 23-run stand pushed the session beyond the scheduled lunch time but eventually ended when Roach was bowled by Harris for 25. That left the Australians with 192 to chase in two sessions and they were good enough to do so - just. West Indies were left to wonder what could have been.

West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Bridgetown, 4th day

The Report by Brydon Coverdale

April 10, 2012

West Indies 449 for 9 dec and 71 for 5 (Hilfenhaus 3-17) lead Australia 406 for 9 dec (Clarke 73, Harris 68*, Roach 3-72) by 114 runs

How quickly this game can change. West Indies started the fourth day searching for a way to turn their dominance into a victory. They ended it hoping to avoid defeat. In between, Ryan Harris led an outstanding tail-end fightback from Australia that allowed Michael Clarke to make a bold declaration from behind, a decision that was justified when Ben Hilfenhaus scythed through the top three West Indies batsmen in the first five overs of their second innings.

As tea approached, it was hard to tell who was wobblier, the West Indies batsmen or the rummies in Kensington Oval's Party Stand. At least the spectators had an excuse for their lack of stability. Clarke's declaration gave West Indies half an hour to bat before the break and when it arrived they were 4 for 3. Australia's last three pairs had just added 156 runs between them. It was about as disastrous a period as West Indies could have endured.

In a few crazy hours, all the hard work the hosts had done over the first three days evaporated. By stumps, they had steadied a little, but only a little, and they finished the day at 71 for 5, with Narsingh Deonarine on 20 and Carlton Baugh on 2. It meant West Indies held a slim lead of 114 runs and with only five wickets in hand, they still needed a solid batting performance on the fifth morning to prevent the Australians chasing a small target.

The pitch had started to show some variable bounce but after the way their tail-enders batted, Australia would fancy their chances of chasing a target of around 200. For West Indies, much rested on the shoulders of Deonarine, a man with a point to prove after he was told by the coach Ottis Gibson he was on probation having been recalled to the side for the first time in nearly two years.

Deonarine had helped West Indies recover with a 50-run stand that ended shortly before stumps when Darren Bravo (32) edged behind off Peter Siddle. It was just the breakthrough the Australians wanted after Hilfenhaus ripped through the top order and Harris nicked out Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who had clung on like a barnacle in the first innings but managed only 12 in the second.

West Indies were 17 for 4 when Chanderpaul was done by a good ball that moved away fractionally off the seam. Hilfenhaus had also found just enough movement to trouble Adrian Barath, who was the first to fall when he was bowled by a ball that shaped to swing away and then straightened back between bat and pad.

Two balls later, Kraigg Brathwaite feathered behind playing an uncharacteristically aggressive stroke and his edge was so thin that the umpire Ian Gould did not appear likely to give him out, but the batsman walked. In his next over, Hilfenhaus trapped Kirk Edwards lbw and a review of Gould's decision could not save the batsman, and Clarke's decision to declare 43 runs in arrears was looking inspired.

The Australian lower order had provided major frustrations for West Indies, especially Harris, who finished unbeaten on 68, and the No.11 Nathan Lyon, who remained not out on 40. They had put on 77 for the final wicket and could have batted on further, but Clarke wasn't convinced a draw was the best outcome Australia could manage.

Australia added 40 runs after lunch and the innings was nearly brought to an end with the score at 391 when Harris was given out lbw to Fidel Edwards for 66. But with a review up his sleeve, Harris asked for the third umpire to check Gould's on-field decision and the replay showed the ball would have sailed over the top of the stumps.

There were precious few other opportunities for West Indies as their heads bowed and shoulders slumped during the final partnership, the second-highest tenth-wicket stand ever by an Australian pair against West Indies. Things had started perfectly for West Indies as they took the new ball in the first over of the day and quickly had Michael Hussey back in the dressing room having added only one to his overnight score.

Hussey pushed forward at a Kemar Roach delivery that angled across him and his edge was well taken by Carlton Baugh low to his left. Siddle followed for 0 when he ducked a shortish delivery from Fidel Edwards and gloved a catch to gully, and Australia were 250 for 7. Matthew Wade and Harris added 35 for the eighth wicket and both men played some promising shots but Wade's patience eventually deserted him and he drove expansively at Edwards and edged to slip for 28 from 97 deliveries.

Hilfenhaus provided some entertainment with five boundaries in his 24, an innings that ended when he tried to whack Roach over midwicket and lost his middle stump. But it wasn't the end for the Australian lower order as Harris and Lyon's partnership reached 37 at lunch, both men having played some impressive strokes and they were particularly good at driving when the bowlers overpitched.

Harris struck seven boundaries and brought up his half-century from his 76th ball with a clip through midwicket, and his determination was evident in his celebration as he gritted his teeth and settled in for some more batting. Lyon also played some strong drives and brought up his highest first-class score.

Clarke denied him the chance of scoring a half-century, but it was the furthest thing from the captain's mind as he sought a way to win the match. By stumps, victory had become a much more realistic proposition.

West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Bridgetown, 3rd day

The Report by Brydon Coverdale

April 9, 2012

Australia 248 for 5 (Clarke 73, Hussey 47*) trail West Indies 449 for 9 dec by 201 runs

West Indies remained firmly on top after three days of attritional cricket in Barbados, where Darren Sammy's early strikes and Devendra Bishoo's variations kept Australia's batsmen from making significant progress. At stumps on day three Australia were 248 for 5, with Michael Hussey on 47 and Matthew Wade on 19, and while they had almost passed the follow-on mark they were not yet safe in the match.

The big challenge for West Indies remained finding a way to turn their impressive performance into a victory. Rain again played a part on the third afternoon and their task for the final two days was to run through Australia's lower order quickly, bat again and set the visitors a target, and then skittle them a second time. The way this match has unfolded so far, that looked like it would be easier said than done.

But through Sammy and his colleagues West Indies had at least put themselves in the much stronger position. Last time the two sides met in a Caribbean Test series, the hosts had several days of inspired cricket but were unable to string together enough in one match to take a victory from Australia. This time they had started with two encouraging days, and worked through the third in the same fashion.

Michael Clarke provided Australia with a fighting half-century but threw his wicket away, while Shane Watson and David Warner also failed to capitalise on solid starts. Watson was also accountable for the ugly run-out of Ricky Ponting, a calamitous confusion that left Ponting fuming as he walked off the field.

The pair had come together after Sammy removed both openers in almost identical fashion, pitching the ball on off stump and nipping it away from the left-handers Warner and Ed Cowan. Cowan was on 14 when his thin edge found the wicketkeeper and Warner had made a promising start and had 42 when he edged to second slip, and Sammy's accuracy and persistence was impressive.

Those strikes were followed by the run-out of Ponting for 4 when Watson turned the ball behind square leg and took a single, and then called for the second, hesitated, and called Ponting through again. The throw from the deep to the wicketkeeper's end found a confused Ponting out of his ground as Watson loitered halfway down the pitch and Ponting's frustration was evident.

Watson was nearly involved in another run-out later when Clarke was saved only by a wayward throw. That, together with poor use of the review system, were the only real blemishes that could be attached to the West Indies fielding effort. Twice Watson survived lbw appeals that could easily have gone against him, once when he offered no shot to a prodigious inswinger from Sammy, who asked for a review and saw the replays show a perilously close prediction that had the ball hitting off stump, but only in the "umpire's call" zone.

In the next over, Kemar Roach appealed for lbw against Watson and also received a not-out verdict. This time Sammy decided against asking for a review but replays showed the ball would have struck enough of leg stump to have the decision overturned. West Indies wasted their second review after lunch when Sammy was off the ground and the vice-captain Kirk Edwards asked for the third umpire to check another Roach lbw appeal that was clearly sliding down leg.

But those errors of judgment didn't prove too costly. Watson threw his wicket away in the first over after lunch when he flashed impetuously at Roach and was caught behind for 39. It was hardly the innings Australia needed from Watson in his first Test batting at No.3. Clarke and Michael Hussey led a fightback with an 82-run partnership and they had to work hard against Bishoo, whose variations kept them from scoring freely.

Clarke used his feet against the legspinner and lofted him straight down the ground for six, but otherwise the Australians typically waited for poor balls from Bishoo and did the best they could to keep the good ones out. Clarke brought up his half-century from his 121st delivery with a fine cover-driven boundary from the part-time offspin of Narsingh Deonarine, and he was fortunate to have got there after a contentious review when he was on 27.

Clarke was adjudged caught behind off a Bishoo ball that stayed low and he immediately challenged the out decision from the umpire Tony Hill. Replays did not clearly show that he hit the ball but nor did there seem to be overwhelming evidence to overturn the call, but that was what happened and it was a serious let-off for Clarke.

Eventually, Bishoo had his reward when Clarke tried to clear long-off but succeeded only in skying a catch, and it was an unwise shot selection at a time when Clarke and Hussey needed to continue building their partnership. Hussey was more watchful and by stumps was approaching a half-century, and Wade struggled against Bishoo with a packed close-in field, but he was good enough to put away the bad balls when they came.

Bishoo's challenge on the fourth day will be to run through the tail, although with the new ball due Sammy will first turn to his fast men to do that job. And if they can manage it, victory will be a possibility, although a draw remains the more likely outcome.

West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Bridgetown, 2nd day

The Report by Brydon Coverdale

April 8, 2012

Australia 44 for 0 trail West Indies 449 for 9 dec (Chanderpaul 103*, K Edwards 61, Brathwaite 57, Bravo 51) by 405 runs

Shivnarine Chanderpaul not only has one of the longest names in world cricket but also one of the longest attention spans. The Australians know this because four years ago in the Caribbean he averaged more than four hours per innings against them. Little has changed. Chanderpaul's six-hour unbeaten century in the first Test in Barbados has given West Indies the upper hand against Australia, although they must hope the time their batsmen used won't cost them later in the game.

The dour West Indian display ended late in the afternoon when Darren Sammy declared, a rare privilege during his tenure as Test captain, at 449 for 9. It was the first time West Indies had ever had all 11 batsmen reach double figures in a Test innings, although they did so at a run rate of less than three an over. Australia's openers survived until stumps and were 44 for 0, with David Warner on 27 and Ed Cowan on 13, and much work lay ahead for the visitors.

It is unlikely that men such as Warner, Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting will trickle along slowly on a good batting pitch, but they would be wise to exercise at least some of the caution shown by the likes of Chanderpaul, Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo over the past two days. At times the West Indies innings threatened to stagnate, but it wasn't dormant for too long at a time.

Sammy himself made sure of that with a highly entertaining 41 from 36 balls. He batted just like he had during the limited-overs games last month and did not resist his naturally attacking urges. But there was aggression from both sides during a fascinating period in which Sammy was clearly shaken by a Watson bouncer that struck him on the back of the helmet as he ducked and turned his head.

Sammy's response was to launch the next ball from Watson high and straight back over his head for six, to the cheers of the West Indian fans. But in what was perhaps a delayed reaction, Sammy appeared to be struggling at the end of the over when he received attention from the team doctor, and it took a few minutes for him to decide that he would bat on.

Earlier, Sammy had shown his intent with three powerful fours off the offspin of Nathan Lyon and after his blow to the head nothing changed. He pulled Watson for another six reminiscent of some of the strokes he played in the ODIs and cleared the cow corner boundary off Ben Hilfenhaus, who eventually removed him when Sammy top-edged an attempted pull to deep midwicket.

Chanderpaul had scored only eight during his 53-run partnership with Sammy but that was hardly surprising, for he is not the type to get caught up in the moment. He scored his runs with typically Chanderpaulesque nudges, clips and prods, although he also showed a willingness to attack when the opportunity arose and lofted Nathan Lyon's offspin down the ground for six.

Along the way, Chanderpaul moved past Brian Lara to become the highest Test run scorer at Kensington Oval, and at length his century arrived with a swivel pull for two from his 235th delivery. With that stroke, he moved past Viv Richards into outright third on the list of all-time West Indies Test centurions with his 25th hundred.

Chanderpaul had been in the nineties when the No.11 Devendra Bishoo came to the crease and although he didn't hurry to triple figures, he had no need to thanks to the ample support he received. Bishoo finished not out on 18 and Chanderpaul had 103 when the declaration arrived, as the Australian bowlers struggled to string wickets together.

They managed only two after tea, Kemar Roach caught at slip off Lyon for 16 and Fidel Edwards caught at long-on for 10 when he pulled David Warner's legspin. Two wickets had also fallen in the middle session of the day, the loss of Sammy preceded by the run-out of Carlton Baugh for 22. Baugh took off for a single when Chanderpaul turned a ball from Lyon behind square leg and was caught short by Ryan Harris' direct hit when sent back by Chanderpaul.

That ended a 31-run stand that had nearly been stifled in its first few deliveries when Ricky Ponting at slip dropped a tough chance when Baugh was on 4. The run-out was a bonus for the Australians, who used eight bowlers in a Test innings for the first time since the Delhi Test against India in 2008, as they sought a way through the gritty West Indian batting order.

During the first session, Chanderpaul lost two partners, Darren Bravo for 51 and Narsingh Deonarine for 21. Bravo and Chanderpaul had compiled a 73-run partnership before the breakthrough eventually arrived when Bravo drove on the up and edged Watson to gully. It was no surprise that Bravo fell to an edge; he had brought up his half-century with an edge wide of slip off Peter Siddle from his 114th delivery and had slashed a streaky boundary over gully the previous ball.

Australia followed with the wicket of Deonarine, who tried to work a shortish ball from Ryan Harris down into the ground and behind square leg but succeeded only in top-edging a catch for the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Fortunately for West Indies, another Guyanese left-hander was able to stick around for much longer.

West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Bridgetown, 1st day

The Report by Brydon Coverdale

April 7, 2012

West Indies 179 for 3 (K Edwards 61, Brathwaite 57) v Australia

There's no doubt about it: the Test series has started. After two weeks of limited-overs games between these two teams and while the IPL, with its promise of immediate gratification, gets under way in India, West Indies and Australia played out a dour first day in Barbados. By the end of a rain-shortened day, neither side could claim any real advantage but Kraigg Brathwaite's stubborn half-century and Kirk Edwards' 61 had given the hosts something to build on.

An afternoon shower halted proceedings after 73 hard-fought overs in which West Indies had inched along to 179 for 3. The Australians had not long removed the limpet-like Brathwaite for 57 from 199 deliveries only to be greeted by the sight of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who during the last Caribbean series between the sides enjoyed a batting stretch of 18 hours without being dismissed, walking to the crease.

When play was abandoned for the day, Chanderpaul was on 8 and Darren Bravo had made 20 from 60 deliveries, and their partnership loomed as a key for both sides with Narsingh Deonarine the only specialist batsman still to come. The two men were hoping to build on the platform constructed by Brathwaite and Edwards but should Australia separate them early on day two, the work of the top order might be annulled.

Bravo had shown some inclination to attack early in his innings as he launched the occasional legspin of David Warner high into the stands over long-on, but he was quiet after that. It didn't help that he lost the established Brathwaite, who tickled behind off Peter Siddle to give the debutant wicketkeeper Matthew Wade his first catch in Test cricket.

It was the end of a gritty but far from unblemished innings from Brathwaite, who now has four half-centuries from his seven Tests but is yet to move beyond the 60s. The Australians dropped Brathwaite twice and Edwards once in an untidy fielding display and their partnership was allowed to blossom to 104 runs thanks to the let-offs.

Brathwaite was put down on 10 when he pushed a ball from Siddle uppishly back to the left of the bowler, who misjudged the chance and spilled the catch with his left hand. Another life came on 44, when Ricky Ponting at second slip grassed a tough diving opportunity off Shane Watson.

The simplest of all the lives was the chance given to Edwards on 56 when he edged a fullish wide ball from Siddle and Watson at fourth slip saw a sitter bounce out of his hands. Fortunately for Watson, Edwards added only five more to his score before on 61 he gave Warner his first Test wicket and just his second in first-class cricket.

Warner bowled some good balls during his spell, flighting the ball to encourage strokeplay, and Edwards obliged by driving a delivery hard back at the bowler. But Warner's reflexes were good enough and he snapped up an excellent return catch low to his right, rewarding the willingness of the captain Michael Clarke to try new things in the search for a partnership breaker.

The only wicket in the first session had come when Adrian Barath, on 22 from 54 balls, fell for an obvious plan as Ryan Harris came around the wicket with a short-leg and deep backward square leg in position. The bouncer was bowled and Barath obliged with an attempted hook that flew off the top edge and was easily taken by Siddle at deep backward square leg.

But that brought Edwards and Brathwaite together and they dug in to deny Australia's bowlers. Brathwaite is renowned as an old-fashioned style of opener, one whose first priority is survival and a player for whom scoring appears to be an afterthought. That was precisely how he played his first Test innings at his home ground, Kensington Oval.

He took few risks, although a couple of drives flew off the edge through gaps, and his four boundaries all came behind the wicket. He ended the innings with a strike-rate of 32.80 in his short Test career, comfortably the lowest of regular specialist batsmen in Tests in the past year, but West Indies would prefer an opener who can grind out a half-century than one who flashes and falls quickly.

Generally, it was up to Brathwaite's partners to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Edwards did that through some confident strokeplay down the ground against the offspin of Nathan Lyon. Edwards lifted Lyon over long-on for a six and was happy to drive him along the ground, while he also picked off the fast men when they strayed on to his pads.

His half-century came with an impressive loft over long-off against the legspin of Warner from his 97th delivery, whereas Brathwaite took 163 balls to bring up his fifty. Together they caused problems for Australia's fast men, who found early swing but couldn't force enough shots to make it dangerous.

Harris was included and James Pattinson was named 12th man, and there were times when Clarke must have wished for Pattinson's explosiveness and ability to run through an order. By the close of play Australia had fought back but the first session of day two loomed as a big one for both teams.

Sri Lanka v England, 2nd Test, Colombo, 5th day

The Report by David Hopps

April 7, 2012

England 460 (Pietersen 151, Cook 94, Herath 6-133) and 97 for 2 beat Sri Lanka 275 (Mahela Jayawardene 105, Swann 4-75) and 278 (Mahela Jayawardene 64, Swann 6-106) by eight wickets

In the end it was a breeze. Whatever doubts England might have had about chasing 94 to win the second Test at the end of a tormented Asian winter did not manifest themselves as they gambolled to a victory that, for the moment at least, preserves their status as the No. 1-ranked side in the world.

Lurking memories of their collapse to 72 all out, in pursuit of 145, in Abu Dhabi barely two months ago were banished as Alastair Cook proceeded from the outset at a one-day rate and Kevin Pietersen added a lighthearted singalong to his majestic first-innings century. England had it all wrapped up within 20 overs, levelling the series at 1-1 and preventing Sri Lanka from achieving their own first Test series win for three years.

It was a steamy Colombo day - one reading showed 42C - so hot that holidaymakers along Sri Lanka's coast would be dragging sunbeds into the shade. England lost their captain, Andrew Strauss, for nought, bowled by Tillakaratne Dilshan as he met one that turned with ponderous footwork and an angled blade, and Jonathan Trott followed lbw to Rangana Herath as Sri Lanka successfully asked for a referral, but they were not about to wilt in the sun.

Sri Lanka, who had added another 60 in the morning session, relied entirely upon their spinners in recognition that the P Sara pitch had finally become the minefield that many had long forecast. Cook signalled his intent by driving and cutting Dilshan for successive boundaries and scored 30 of England's first 40 runs. When he cut three times in one over at Herath, and missed the lot, Sri Lanka must have realised there would be no miracle.

Then Pietersen came over all Frank Sinatra, confident again to do it his way, gliding down the pitch to loft Herath straight for six. Appropriately, the match ended with Pietersen v Dilshan, reviving memories of the contretemps over Pietersen's switch hit. Mahela Jayawardene brought the field in and challenged Pietersen to win it with a six and he did so, launching the ball over midwicket. What did he think of April Tests in Colombo when the climate was at its fiercest? "A joke," Pietersen said, ingenuously.

Sri Lanka, six down overnight, lost three wickets in a rush, but Angelo Mathews countered briefly to turn an overnight lead of 33 into something a little more substantial. Their chief tormenter was Graeme Swann who had rolled in, sunglasses not quite disguising a scampish intent, to turn the game with two wickets in the penultimate over of the fourth day. He spun the ball viciously at times on a pitch that, for him at least, finally had become the spin bowler's friend.

Samit Patel also chipped in with his first wicket of the match when Herath anticipated Swann-like turn, found Patel-like turn instead and offered the simplest of chances to James Anderson at slip.

For Sri Lanka, the onus rested once more on Jayawardene. Swann, who took 6 for 106 to finish with ten wickets in the match, finally removed him an excellent ball which turned and bounced to hit the glove and lob easily to Cook, plunging forward at short leg. It was the end of a polished defensive innings - 64 from 191 balls with only four boundaries.

Jayawardene made 354 runs in four innings with two centuries and his stock has rarely been higher. It was easy to carp that Sri Lanka had not helped themselves by a scoring rate not much above two an over, but only Pietersen, whose rapid century had created the time in which England could win the game, had played with any panache on this pitch and to try to ape Pietersen in that mood would be to fly too close to the sun.

Two overs later and another Jayawardene followed, this time Prasanna, coming in two places lower at No. 9 thanks to Sri Lanka's recourse to nightwatchmen on the previous two evenings. It was a briefly unimpressive stay, ended when he tried to sweep and was bowled around his legs.

Mathews' survival owed much to a calamitous morning for Cook at short leg. Three times in five overs Swann had expectations of dismissing Mathews to a nudge to short leg, but Cook failed to cling to two low chances and then a third fell wide of him as Swann looked as dangerous as at any time on England's winter tours.

There was further frustration for England, too, when Mahela Jayawardene, on 58, was adjudged lbw by umpire Asad Rauf only for the decision to be overturned on review when the TV umpire, Rod Tucker, spotted an inside edge.

As wickets fell, Mathews eventually had little choice but to formulate an attacking response, but eventually an erratic surface betrayed him as Steven Finn made one stick in the pitch and Mathews, intent upon advancing to drive, could only chip into the leg side. England's run of failures were soon to be put behind them.

Sri Lanka v England, 2nd Test, Colombo, 4th day

The Report by David Hopps

April 6, 2012

Sri Lanka 218 for 6 (Jayawardene 55*, Swann 4-82) and 275 lead England 460 (Pietersen 151, Herath 6-133) by 33 runs

It was a Poya Day in Sri Lanka and a rudimentary sign at the P Sara Stadium told England supporters the awful truth: no alcohol would be served. They have watched England lose Test matches in Asia all winter and the moment they imagined that a celebration might be on hand they feared they would have to do it stone-cold sober. No matter: thanks to Sri Lanka's resilience, if there is a celebration to be had, the bars will be back open by then.

Sri Lanka, who must avoid defeat to secure their first Test series win for two years, have stubbornly dragged the second Test into the final day, in which they will begin 33 runs ahead with four wickets remaining, one of them their impassive captain, Mahela Jayawardene, whose outstanding series continued with a composed, unbeaten 55, from 157 balls, which spread balm upon an occasionally testy fourth day.

But even Jayawardene's placid mood must have been shaken when Graeme Swann's offspin struck with two wickets in the penultimate over of the day. A four-wicket day would have left England doubting that they could win their first Test of the winter; a six-wicket day imbued them with optimism.

Swann, armed with a second new ball that was only nine overs old, transformed the picture in the space of three ball. Firstly came a ripper to Thilan Samareweera that followed him as he made room to cut and caused him to play on, followed by one that turned through the gate to defeat Suraj Randiv's defensive push.

With memories still fresh of England's collapse to 72 all out against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, in pursuit of 145, nothing will be taken for granted. "A lead of 150 will be a very good lead," said Samaraweera. "Anything can happen on this wicket on the final day."

Sri Lanka, who made only 134 in a careworn last two sessions, will rue their misfortune. They were frustrated by the dismissal of Tillakaratne Dilshan, who fell to Swann, for 35, in controversial circumstances. There have been too many times this winter when match reports have turned into a treatise on the DRS and this one is no different because the philosophy behind it is still not comprehended by many, some of whom should know better.

Swann appealed as Dilshan pushed forward to a ball that turned and the ball squeezed off pad, and perhaps a sliver of an inside edge, to James Anderson at slip. The Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford gave it out and Dilshan, without as much of a glance at his batting partner Kumar Sangakkara called for a review. After innumerable replays, Rod Tucker, the third umpire, found no conclusive evidence to overturn the decision. As Hot Spot is not being used in this series, he would have needed clear daylight between the bat and outside edge to be confident there had been no contact.

Graham Ford, Sri Lanka's coach, marched into the match referee's room to demand an explanation, following a route trod by his England counterpart, Andy Flower, earlier in the Test. There has been so much to-ing and fro-ing that match referee's rooms will soon need to come with steel doors and double locks. As for Dilshan, he studied replays on his laptop with a sense of injustice.

An explanation should not have been necessary. DRS exists to overturn obvious umpiring mistakes, not to seek justification for an umpiring decision. If there is no proof that the decision of an on-field umpire should be overturned then the status quo remains and the umpire's decision stands. If there was an error - and the hint of a red mark on Dilshan's inside edge insisted that nothing was certain - the error was that of the on-field umpire and DRS merely upheld the decision. It is really quite simple. But this basic philosophy is rarely accepted by those whose loyalties run deep.

England lost a review when DRS upheld Oxenford's rejection of an lbw appeal by Swann against Sangakkara, but Swann got his man with a sharply-turning delivery that was edged through to Matt Prior.

England picked up the wickets of Dhammika Prasad, the nightwatchman, and Lahiru Thirimanne in the morning session. A recourse to a nightwatchman for an opening batsman is unusual , although not unknown. Sri Lanka have taken the option before when Rangana Herath opening against Pakistan in Galle three years ago under Kumar Sangakkara's captaincy. A draining climate makes it perfectly understandable.

Dilshan had had a taxing third day in the field, bowling 20 overs and becoming embroiled in a psychological stand-off with Kevin Pietersen over his contentious use of the switch hit. He had an allrounder's right to a bit of protection, but having drawn attention to himself in more ways than one he received a predictable amount of chirruping from England's fielders. At one stage the umpire Asad Rauf told the England captain, Andrew Strauss, that enough was enough.

Swann's offspin held most threat for England on a wearing pitch with occasional deliveries rearing and turning, but he was the only specialist spinner and Strauss chose to delay his entrance until the first hour had almost elapsed in anticipation of a long and tiring day. He will be relieved that he did not give him the last hour off instead.

The two early wickets fell to the quicker bowlers. James Anderson has the measure of Thirimanne and he slanted a ball across the left-hander in the ninth over for Strauss to hold the catch at first slip. Prior, who had missed a routine stumping off Swann in the previous over, was mightily relieved. Prasad acquitted himself well, surviving past drinks. He was dropped off Swann by the sprawling Steven Finn at mid off and reached 34 before Finn set him up for a short ball which he pulled obligingly to Tim Bresnan at deep backward square.

Sri Lanka v England, 2nd Test, Colombo, 3rd day

The Report by David Hopps

April 5, 2012

Sri Lanka 4 for 0 and 275 (Jayawardene 105, Swann 4-75) trail England 460 (Pietersen 151, Cook 94) by 181 runs

A century of great bravado, and not a little theatre, by Kevin Pietersen sharpened England's anticipation of their first Test win of a troubled winter as they took a first-innings lead of 185 runs in the second Test in Colombo.

Pietersen brought chaos to Sri Lanka's ranks with a potent combination of imperious strokeplay and impatient slogs. His 151 came from 165 balls with 16 fours and six sixes and was a flamboyant contradiction of the suspicious, attritional cricket that had gone before. As he struck 88 runs between lunch and tea to transform the game, he batted pretty much as he pleased. "I probably played a bit one-day modish, but I feel as if I'm in very good form so why not," he said.

On a dead pitch that experts galore had agreed made strokeplay almost impossible, Pietersen batted as if such limitations were intended for lesser men, banishing the memories of a demoralising winter. He had been England's least successful batsman in four Tests in Asia, scoring only 100 runs at 13. To draw supreme confidence from that record was quite something. It does not take much to stir his self-belief.

He departed reluctantly, appealing to the DRS for clemency after Sri Lanka's left-arm spinner Rangana Herath defeated his paddle shot with a flatter delivery. As reviews go, it was based on little more than the fact that he fancied an encore or two, and replays predictably judged him plumb, but he had provided such flamboyant entertainment that he could be forgiven his indulgence.

Herath, who had 1 for 102 at one stage, recovered his poise once Pietersen's storm had blown out and finished with 6 for 133, his third six-for in successive innings, but there was none of the pleasure he had felt during Sri Lanka's 75-run win in Galle. There is enough treacherous bounce in this pitch to encourage England's stronger pace attack and Graeme Swann can expect substantial, if slow turn.

There was also a controversial element to Pietersen's innings when the umpires, Asad Rauf and Bruce Oxenford, clamped down on his unconventional switch hit when he was only two runs away from his 20th Test century, issuing a warning on the dubious grounds that he was changing his stance too early. "To bowl before the bowler delivers is unfair," Rauf said afterwards. "There is no intention to outlaw the stroke," Oxenford added.

Tillakaratne Dilshan objected to the switch hit, in which Pietersen changes his hands on the bat to become, in effect, a left-hander, and stopped twice in his run-up as he anticipated a repeat. Rauf intervened on the grounds of timewasting - not against Dilshan but Pietersen - and after a conversation with Oxenford warned Pietersen, informing him England would recieve a five-run penalty if he repeated the tactic.

Dilshan's protest came during an over in when Pietersen thrashed his way from 86 to 104. He had unveiled the switch hit in Dilshan's previous over to combat a defensive leg-stump line and when he was rewarded by a woeful long hop it was apparent that Dilshan, until then Sri Lanka's most effective bowler, had lost the psychological game.

After being told by the umpires that he risked a timewasting penalty, he bided his time, reverse swept again with Dilshan committed to the delivery, and reached his hundred to roars of approval from England's sizeable contingent of fans. "No dramas," he said. "They just told me to get my timing right."

Soon afterwards, Ian Bell fell for 18, mistiming a hook to midwicket as a ball from Dhammika Prasad did not get up. It was symptomatic of an innings in which he had rarely timed the ball and he walked off shaking his head at Pietersen's audacity. Batting alongside Pietersen has a tendency to make you feel inadequate. If Bell felt its full force, so did Matt Prior when he tried to hit Herath down the ground and paid the consequences.

For Pietersen, it was all plain sailing. He had been riddled by doubt against Pakistan's spinners, Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman, in the Test series in the UAE, but Sri Lanka's slow bowlers - for all Herath's recovery - were a grade below that class. When Suraj Randiv attempted an Ajmal-style doosra it pitched halfway down. Pietersen had a life on 82, though, when Prasad deceived him with a slower ball but followed up with an even slower attempt to catch.

England produced their most authoritative batting of the winter. They resumed on 154 for 1 and their top three created the platform to enable Pietersen to strut his stuff.

Alastair Cook, six runs short of a century, was the only England batsman to fall before lunch. It was Dilshan who did the trick, finding modest turn to have Cook caught by Mahela Jayawardene at slip. Earlier, when Cook had 84 to his name, it was still a surprise to see him dust off a reverse sweep, especially as he had eschewed the conventional variety. The ball deflected off the pad to Jayawardene at leg slip, umpire Rauf showed no interest, and despite innumerable replays the third umpire could discern no sign of a flick of the glove for which Sri Lanka's captain had appealed.

Randiv's use of DRS for an lbw appeal against Trott, on 42, was even more wasteful. Replays showed an obvious inside edge. Trott communicated this to the umpire with a subtle quizzical look and a peaceful examination of his inside edge, his alibis presented with the tranquillity of his strokeplay. He fell soon after lunch, edging a turning delivery from Herath to slip.

Nothing was going right for Sri Lanka. Appeal began to follow appeal, each one of them increasingly absurd. Sri Lanka entered lunch with one more wicket and an urge to study TV replays that would have only brought more disappointment. Pietersen at his most disrespectful was about to inflame them even more.

Australia in West Indies 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff

April 4, 2012

West Indies have recalled batsman Narsingh Deonarine for the first Test against Australia in Barbados, starting April 7. The 13-member squad also includes fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, who missed the one-dayers and Twenty20 due to injury and illness.

Deonarine, the left-handed middle-order batsman and offspinner, last played for West Indies during the home series against South Africa in 2010. He was the leading run-scorer in the Regional Four-Day Competition with 582 runs in seven matches at an average of 44.76. He also took 20 wickets for Guyana, including two five-wicket hauls.

"Deonarine has been the leading the batsman this season in the Regional Four-Day and has demonstrated his commitment and a new level of maturity," said Clyde Butts, the chairman of selectors. "We have not seen many big scores from the batsmen in this year's competition, but he has played some very good innings for Guyana and also bowled very well coming onto the latter half of the tournament. We expect this same level of focus against the Aussies. He is sure to be an asset."

Deonarine was among those not offered a contract or retainer last year by the West Indies Cricket Board because his fitness was "deemed unsatisfactory". The board was not pleased with his attitude to fitness, which it said was "unacceptable for an international cricketer".

Butts said he was impressed by the performances of the batsmen on the two away tours of Bangladesh and India last year, and backed them to do the same against Australia, ranked No.3 in the world.

Kirk Edwards, who scored a century on Test debut against India last year, has been named Darren Sammy's deputy. Those missing from the squad that toured India include the experienced batsman Marlon Samuels, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin and spinner Shane Shillingford. Samuels, who played the one-dayers recently is away in India for the IPL.

Rampaul was unable to be considered for the West Indies pre-tour training squad or the ODI series due to a bout of dengue fever. He also had to shrug off a shoulder problem. He played for the Trinidad and Tobago in the Regional Four-Day semi-final against Barbados, taking 4 for 55 in the first innings.

The one-dayers and Twenty20 series were shared 2-2 and 1-1 respectively.

West Indies Squad For First Test: Darren Sammy (capt), Kirk Edwards (vice-capt), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh (wk), Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Fidel Edwards, Kieran Powell, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach

Sri Lanka v England, 2nd Test, Colombo, 2nd day

The Report by David Hopps

April 4, 2012

England 154 for 1 (Cook 77*, Strauss 61) trail Sri Lanka 275 (Jayawardene 105, Mathews 57, Swann 4-74) by 121 runs

England have the captain they want and the debate they do not need. A standing ovation from the travelling supporters when Andrew Strauss reached what was surely was one of his most painstaking Test half-centuries indicated that the public, at least, feels the talking can now stop.

The debate has been a valid one as any dispassionate analysis of Strauss' batting form reveals. But even those England fans who had dozed their way through a somnolent second day at the P Sara Oval roused themselves briefly to make their loyalty known. Many had long surrendered to the exhausting April heat which threatened to widen the cracks in a desperately slow pitch but which failed to expose any cracks in England's set-up.

Strauss ground out 61 from 126 balls to underline what we already knew: when the occasion demands it, he is a tough customer. His stand of 122 in 52 overs with Alastair Cook was England's second highest of a disastrous winter in which they have reached 300 only once. By the close, England could imagine that consolation was within their grasp. A lot depends when, if at all, this pitch begins to crumble.

Cook's 77 not out consumed the bulk of the strike - 57% - his only let-off coming on 20 when he turned Herath to short leg where Lahiru Thirimanne almost scooped up the catch. In a dutiful, pared-down innings, his reverse sweep at the left-arm spinner, Rangana Herath, was surely explained by a touch of the sun.

It would be easy to overplay England's painstaking approach - not much more than two runs an over -- as proof of the pressure brought about by four successive Test defeats and a captain whose position is under scrutiny for the first time. If that was the bigger picture, it was the minutiae of the match situation that carried considerably more weight, in particular an inhibiting surface.

Strauss had one or two misadventures against an otherwise innocuous Sri Lanka pace attack in an awkward 15 minutes before lunch. He got off the mark with a fortunate, edged boundary, third ball, as he pushed suspiciously at Suranga Lakmal. He was also inches away from dragging on Dhammika Prasad in the last over before lunch as an attempted cut shot was betrayed by a lack of bounce.

Thereafter, he recognised that the low bounce insisted he should play straight and he did so until a Sri Lanka spinner, on this occasion Tillakaratne Dilshan, finally offered him some width and his late cut fell into the hands of the wicketkeeper, Prasanna Jayawardene. The slow pitch helped him at least twice when edges against Dilshan, two balls before he was dismissed, and, earlier when Herath dived in front of Sri Lanka's captain, Mahela Jayawardene, at first slip.

For the thousands of England supporters who had stayed on in Colombo for the 2nd Test, it made grim viewing. But it was hard to feel much sympathy for a small minority of spectators who, as they sought a free view of the first Test, had left so much mess on the ramparts of the 16th century Galle Fort, a World Heritage site, that the ECB felt obliged to pay for the clean-up.

How appropriate, said one follower of this Test on social media, that England's first half-century opening partnership of the winter should actually have happened in the spring. It encapsulated the long wait endured by England before Strauss and Cook, one of the most productive opening partnerships in England Test history, whose 14 century stands now put them only one behind Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe, finally put together a stand of note. A strikingly large proportion of spectators surrendered to the heat and dozed through it. To England's relief, the pitch slept too, more so than had been anticipated.

Herath lacked the threat he possessed at Galle. A short, stout, slow left-armer, he might have passed for Sri Lanka's version of Samit Patel. Randiv, who found more turn, bowled his off-spinners in tall and stately fashion, with a delivery stride so restrained that he might have been a head waiter politely approaching a guest's table to pour the wine.

Sri Lanka, 238 for 6 overnight, scored only 37 runs from 21 overs for the loss of their last four wickets as England's bowlers again summoned a disciplined performance with Graeme Swann, who is enjoying a late flurry of form as England's winter programme nears its end, taking 3 for 4 in 6.1 overs as his off-spin found plenty of bite.

England were relieved to head to the dressing room and what they hoped, for once, would be a prolonged blast of air-con. Their habit of weighing players at each end of the day revealed that Matt Prior had lost 3.5kgs keeping wicket during the first day's play because of his exertions in such demanding conditions.

Angelo Mathews, 41 not out overnight, was his most important victim. Mathews, playing as a specialist batsman and restrained in making 41 the previous evening - an out-of-character approach that involved imagining he might smite the ball a great distance and then suppressing his natural instincts at the last moment.

He fell for 57, from 157 balls, clipping a slower off-spinner from Swann to short midwicket. Randiv's attempts to break the shackles resulted in a catch at deep mid-on by Kevin Pietersen, pedalling back and, when Swann bowled Lakmal second ball, for nought, with one that turned through the gate, he finished with 4 for 75.

Pakistan news

Umar Farooq

April 3, 2012

The Sialkot Regional Cricket Association has requested the PCB to make efforts to enable the participation of Sialkot Stallions, the Pakistan domestic Twenty20 champions, in the cash-rich Champions League Twenty20. The PCB, in turn, has said that Sialkot's participation is dependent on the restoration of bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan is the only major Test-playing nation to not have had teams in either the qualifiers or the main round of the Champions League since its inception in 2009. Sialkot were invited to the inaugural edition of the tournament towards the end of 2008, but it was postponed after the terror attacks in Mumbai in November that year. The fall-out of those attacks strained the political relationship between India and Pakistan, and consequently, the cricketing one between the BCCI and the PCB. Pakistan players are excluded from the Indian Premier League as well.

"I hope PCB follows this up with the organisers and efforts are made to give Sialkot Stallions a chance to represent their country in the Champions League," Shoaib Malik, the Sialkot captain, said after his side won the Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup in Rawalpindi.

"It is disappointing and sad. Sialkot is a terrific Twenty20 team," Malik said. "We never got an opportunity to represent Pakistan in the Champions League and prove its worth against the domestic T20 champions of other countries. I think the players deserve a chance to play against the best and prove themselves.

"Pakistan is an important cricket-playing country and have won two World titles," Malik said. "Everyone is playing in the Champions League then why Pakistan is being ignored.

"The onus is on the ICC. They are the governing body and they have to step up to maintain the equilibrium in cricket world."

Sialkot are Pakistan's most successful T20 team and hold both the national and super-eight T20 titles. They have players like Malik, Imran Nazir, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Abdur Rehman.

The PCB has been pushing for the inclusion of sides from Pakistan since the inaugural edition of the Champions League. The board officials believe it is the BCCI that has a major role to play and has so far showed a cold response to all issues, including the revival of bilateral ties between Pakistan and India.

"Obviously we want our team to be there and play like other teams are," Subhan Ahmed, the PCB chief operating officer, told ESPNcricinfo. "The decision to invite us is something that is in their hands. We can't force them. We had widely raised this issue on various forums but I believe the only difficultly we are facing is the bilateral ties with India and everything is connected with it.

"Once the bilateral ties between Pakistan and India are revived, all these issues will automatically be resolved. So our priority is to revive the Indo-Pak cricket."

Sri Lanka v England, 2nd Test, Colombo, 1st day

The Report by David Hopps

April 3, 2012

Sri Lanka 238 for 6 (Jayawardene 105, Samaraweera 54, Anderson 3-52) v England

Mahela Jayawardene, an understated batsman in a world that long ago surrendered to overstatement, treated England to another gentle batting masterclass with a second successive Test century to ensure Sri Lanka maintained a position close to equilibrium at the close of the first day of the second Test.

Jayawardene exuded calm, recapturing the mood that brought him 180 in the first Test in Galle, with 105 stealthily assembled in more than five hours before Graeme Swann, straightening one from around the wicket, had him lbw, a decision upheld on review, and the slightest rustle of disbelief arose around the P Sara Oval at a rare misjudgement in an unblemished innings.

England dismissed Jayawardene with the second new ball imminent. They took it for the last nine overs and plucked out a sixth wicket when Steven Finn had Mahela's namesake, Prasanna Jayawardene, caught at the wicket.

It was a reward for another disciplined bowling display, in which an increasingly resilient Finn proved he can now share, but the pitch already has a mosaic of cracks and, even allowing for its stultifying lack of pace, there is already ample evidence of uneven bounce and turn for the spinners. That will be enough to keep England's sense of well-being in check.

Four successive Test defeats in Asia have encouraged ever-more defiant noises from England about how they must maintain their energy and trust their attacking instincts. Jayawardene showed them a different route, cajoling the Test gently towards him, displaying the virtues of patience and delicacy as his innings murmured along. He survived a drinks break on 99, removed his helmet to reveal his distinctive black head-covering and then clipped Samit Patel wristily wide of mid-on for his 31st Test century.

James Anderson gave England a flying start with three new-ball wickets in his first five overs, dismissing Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara in successive balls, but Jayawardene flicked the hat-trick ball to the fine leg boundary to get off the mark and, as determinedly as England tried to stem the flow of runs off his legs, settled in for the duration.

It was a sweltering day in Colombo with not as much relief from the gentle sea breezes that had been apparent in Galle; April, the month before the Yala monsoon finally breaks, when wealthier Colombo families head to the hills in search of relief and when to commit to any physical exertion was once regarded as akin to madness.

There was a time in his career when Anderson would have melted into insignificance in such conditions, cursing a slow pitch and the hot, viscous air, but these days he is a connoisseur of fast bowling and once again he rhythmically dismantled Sri Lanka's top order. There was enough inconsistent bounce to sustain him and he caressed the new ball with the recognition that once it softened life would become much more onerous.

England had taken three Sri Lanka wickets for 15 and fewer in Galle and still lost, a statistic that it has been suggested is unique in Test history. It has been the same all winter for England: skilful, disciplined bowling followed by comedic batting. Anderson took his wickets with the air of a bowler who had come to understand that it guaranteed nothing.

Dilshan briefly flared, driving Anderson for successive offside boundaries. But Anderson compensated, yanked his length back a touch, Dilshan dabbled outside off stump and Matt Prior took a neat catch.

Sangakkara fell first ball, just as he had in the first innings in Galle, Anderson producing a perfect line and the edge flying to first slip where Strauss fumbled by his midriff but clawed the rebound back with his left hand. Strauss has entered the Test under the most pressure since he was appointed England's captain three years ago: it was not the day to drop it.

Anderson's third wicket, an ungainly leave-alone from Lahiru Thirimanne, with the decision, this time by the Australian Bruce Oxenford, again upheld on review, fleetingly took his average in his 68th Test below 30 for the first time since his debut summer nine years ago. By the close, it had crept beyond 30 once more, but it was a statistical reminder of his development.

Jayawardene peacefully rebuilt the innings, in partnership with Thilan Samaraweera, but England had a lucky mascot to sustain them. Tim Bresnan, playing his first Test of the winter after England omitted Monty Panesar, has been on the winning side in ten previous Tests and he found a hint of reverse swing to have Samaraweera lbw.

England made good use of the bouncer against Samaraweera, on a lifeless but uneven pitch. He was struck on the side of the helmet by Finn as he ducked a short ball that failed to get up. He looked briefly disorientated and England might have benefited from one of several ill-judged singles when Finn's shy from mid-on could have run him out.

But tension at the end of an unsuccessful winter had been evident in the response of Andy Flower, England's team director, when Samaraweera, on 34, survived a DRS appeal for a catch at short leg as a short ball from Steve Finn struck his thigh pad and found its way to Alastair Cook.

The not-out decision by umpire Asad Rauf was upheld after a lengthy delay, and innumerable replays, by the third umpire, Rod Tucker. There was no concrete evidence to overrule Rauf's decision, however much there might have been suspicions of a hint of glove, but that did not stop Flower visiting the TV umpire's room for an explanation and the cameras caught that, too, with his ill grace apparent.

Flower is not averse to a visit to the umpire's room during play to press his case, although perhaps not as blatantly as his predecessor, Duncan Fletcher, whose psychological gambits can occasionally be of a style that would even make Sir Alex Ferguson take note.

England in Sri Lanka 2012

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

March 31, 2012

Sri Lanka left-arm fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara has been ruled out of the second Test against England, which starts at the P Sara Oval on Tuesday, with a groin injury. Welegedara's place in the squad will be taken by 25-year-old right-arm fast bowler Shaminda Eranga.

The Sri Lanka selectors made one other change to the 14-man squad, including allrounder Angelo Mathews in place of batsman Chamara Silva. Silva had come into the squad as replacement for Mathews in the first place, after the allrounder failed a fitness test on his calf muscle ahead of the Galle Test.

"Welegedera bowled with some discomfort during the Galle Test and an MRI scan revealed that he had a groin strain," Ashantha de Mel, Sri Lanka's chief selector, said. "Mathews has been declared fit and we have brought him in, but he will only bat."

Mathews last played for Sri Lanka in the league phase of the Commonwealth Bank Series in early March, missing the tri-series finals and the Asia Cup that followed due to the calf injury. He was initially picked in the squad for the Tests against England, before failing to recover in time for the first Test. At that point, De Mel had said that the concerns over Mathews' injured leg put his future as a bowler in doubt. He will contest the No. 6 spot in the Sri Lanka line-up with Dinesh Chandimal, who scored 27 and 31 in the first match in Galle that Sri Lanka won by 75 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-Test series.

Eranga has played the one Test for Sri Lanka, against Australia at the Sinhalese Sports Club last September, taking a four-for in his debut innings, including the wicket of Shane Watson with his first ball in Test cricket. In Sri Lanka's domestic first-class competition, the Premier League Tournament Tier A, he took 11 wickets in six games for Chilaw Marians Cricket Club at an average of 35.45 this season. Despite the call-up, he is not expected to play against England - De Mel said that Dhammika Prasad is the most likely candidate to share the new ball with Suranga Lakmal.

Sri Lanka Squad For 2nd Test: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad, Shaminda Eranga

West Indies v Australia, 2nd Twenty20, Bridgetown

The Report by Brydon Coverdale

March 30, 2012

West Indies 160 (Smith 63, Lee 3-23) beat Australia 146 for 9 (Warner 58, Samuels 3-23, Edwards 3-23) by 14 runs

Fidel Edwards and Marlon Samuels bowled West Indies to a 14-run victory to draw the Twenty20 series 1-1 in Barbados. Dwayne Smith and Johnson Charles started the day with a strong, aggressive opening partnership and despite Australia's bowlers fighting back to dismiss West Indies for 160, it proved to be sufficient for the hosts as Australia's batsmen stalled in the chase after David Warner's quick opening.

Too much was left for the final few overs for Australia, who needed 50 from the last five overs and then 19 from the last six balls, bowled by Dwayne Bravo. David Hussey was the only specialist batsmen left at the crease but he couldn't launch the boundaries required off Bravo, who picked up two wickets in that final over as Australia fell well short of their target.

Hussey was caught at deep midwicket for 19 trying to clear the boundary and Clint McKay was bowled next ball by Bravo, who finished with 2 for 27 from his four overs and changed the course of the match by running out Warner with a direct hit from side-on. Warner was hurrying back for a second run when Bravo, who had run in from the midwicket boundary, threw down the stumps at the striker's end and it was the pivotal moment in the chase.

Warner was on 58 from 43 balls and had threatened to steer Australia home, but after he departed Australia lost momentum. Hussey and Matthew Wade managed a couple of sixes but they were barely treading water with the required run-rate at ten an over, and things became even harder when Wade pushed a Samuels full toss straight back to the bowler for 17.

Edwards picked up two wickets in the next over, Daniel Christian caught at cover and Brett Lee bowled for a golden duck, and West Indies had become firm favourites with 25 needed from the last 10 balls. It was quite a change from the early stages when Warner was steering Australia towards a strong position, although his opening partner Shane Watson was caught at slip in the first over off Edwards.

Warner gradually found his rhythm and pulled Garey Mathurin for six, before lifting Sunil Narine over long-on for another six. George Bailey promoted himself to first drop and showed that he can clear the boundary, with a powerful slog over cow corner off Mathurin. Bailey top-edged a catch to fine leg off Samuels for 24 and Charles, who had dropped a sitter at fine leg before Bailey had scored, breathed a sigh of relief.

Michael Hussey pushed a return catch to Samuels for 14 and although Warner kept the runs flowing and even forced the umpires to find a new ball when he pulled Mathurin out of the ground, West Indies kept themselves in the match. Warner's half-century came from 39 balls but his run-out was a blow from which Australia could not recover, and they were disappointed not to chase down 161 on a fine batting pitch.

The Australian bowlers had done well to peg West Indies back after the Charles-Smith opening stand, which took West Indies to 72 for 0 in the seventh over. Charles scored 37 from 21 balls and Smith made 63 from 34 deliveries, his first half-century in a Twenty20 international, but there were few other contributors and Bravo (23 from 24 balls) was the only other man who reached double figures.

Charles raced out of the blocks with four, six and four from his first three balls, the six a slashing cut that cleared the point boundary off Lee. Charles was also very strong through the leg side but he was the first man to fall, when he couldn't quite force Watson over the boundary and was caught at long-off.

Kieron Pollard, promoted to No.3, edged behind off Lee for 1 and it was a major blow after his success in the previous game. But Smith, who had already been strong on both sides of the wicket, kept the runs flowing and 20 runs came off a James Pattinson over as Smith deposited him in the stands three times in the over.

He started with a monstrous smash over cow corner that landed in the top tier of the Hall and Griffith Stand and followed it with a six that bounced into the windows of the Garfield Sobers Pavilion over long-on. Next ball came the most pure stroke of them all, a lofted drive hit through the line that landed over long-on and brought up his half-century from 30 deliveries.

Another six off Xavier Doherty followed in the next over before Smith fell to the left-arm spinner, caught at long-on trying to maintain his tempo. That wicket was the end of West Indies' blitz, as Bravo moved along at a run a ball and didn't strike a boundary. McKay's changes of pace troubled the middle order and the medium-pacers Watson and Christian were disciplined and accurate.

Lee picked up two late wickets to finish with 3 for 23 as West Indies were bowled out with two balls to spare, having scored 50 for the loss of seven wickets in ten overs after Smith's departure. It was quite a collapse, but Smith and Charles had done enough to set up victory, and just like the ODI portion of the tour, the T20s could not produce a winner. Perhaps the Tests can split these two sides.

South Africa v India, only T20, Johannesburg

The Report by Abhishek Purohit

March 30, 2012

South Africa 219 for 4 (Ingram 78, Kallis 61) beat India 71 for 0 (Gambhir 49*) by 11 runs (D/L method)

In the end, it was probably a fitting end to a solitary Twenty20 international sandwiched between South Africa's tour of New Zealand, the Asia Cup and the Indian Premier League. In the end, it was rain that proved decisive in what was shaping up to be a close chase and what could have been the highest successful one in T20Is. In the end, MS Dhoni was once again left to rue the profligacy of his medium-pacers and assorted part-time bowlers.

Gautam Gambhir had launched India's pursuit of 220 in a blaze of boundaries but even a total of 71 for 0 after 7.5 overs proved to be comfortably behind the Duckworth-Lewis par score of 82, such had been South Africa's dominance earlier with the bat.

Half-centuries from Colin Ingram and Jacques Kallis had lifted the hosts to their second-highest T20I total, and the fourth-highest ever. With all his three medium-pacers going for runs, Dhoni was forced to overuse his part-time spinners, who collectively went for 87 in seven overs.

Kallis showed no sign of any jet lag after having flown halfway across the world from New Zealand just in time for this game. Ingram, with a T20I strike-rate of 117.85 before this match, stroked his way to his maiden half-century in the format, his 78 taking 50 deliveries.

There was no respite for India right from the start as their three medium-pacers - with similar pace and reliance on swing - were easily taken for boundaries. Richard Levi provided India a sampler of what was in store for them, dismissively swatting Praveen Kumar and Irfan Pathan for a couple of fours each. Irfan provided temporary relief to his captain when he got Levi to edge one going across to slip but Ingram signalled there would be no let-up with an exquisite punch past point for four off his first ball.

Vinay Kumar began promisingly with an over that went for just two but Ingram and Kallis ensured South Africa were always in charge. India seemed to have stopped the torrent of runs to some extent as R Ashwin and Suresh Raina got through a couple of tight overs but Kallis and Ingram responded in style. Ashwin and Rohit Sharma were dispatched over midwicket for huge sixes.

Dhoni turned to the slow-mediums of Virat Kohli. Kallis lofted him past long-on for four and crashed the next two deliveries past the sweeper cover. After having slog-swept Ashwin over deep midwicket, Kallis found the fielder on the second attempt to depart for 61 off 42 but by then the second-wicket stand had realised 119 off 80.

More punishment lay in store for India as Vinay disappeared for 20 in the 17th over, 14 of those coming in three deliveries against Ingram who slashed, flicked and cut for boundaries.

Though Ingram holed out to deep midwicket off the first ball of the 18th, Farhaan Behardien and Justin Ontong took 14 off the 19th over bowled by Irfan. With Praveen and Vinay available to bowl the last over, Dhoni went for Raina.

Ontong earned ten off the first two deliveries with a loft over extra cover and a slog over midwicket. Though Ontong was bowled off the third, Albie Morkel hammered two sixes and a four off the last three as Raina went for 26 in the over, and 49 in four.

The last ball of the innings typified how shell-shocked India were, as Ashwin lost a straightforward catch in the lights to concede a six at long-on. That stroke boosted South Africa to 219, a score which would require India to better the highest-successful chase in T20Is they achieved against Sri Lanka in 2009.

Gambhir seemed to be in the mood to pull it off on his own, laying into Albie Morkel's first over which went for 16. Before the heavens opened up, it rained slashes, cuts, hooks, top edges and outside edges from Gambhir's bat. India might have gone at a quicker rate but Robin Uthappa struggled to get going at the other end, scoring at below a run-a-ball.

The only other man, apart from Kallis, from the South Africa Test squad to New Zealand to be playing this game, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, squeezed in three overs that went for only 15, ensuring that Duckworth-Lewis went against India.

England in Sri Lanka 2012

Andrew McGlashan

March 30, 2012

Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo after being diagnosed with a right calf strain. He will return to the UK immediately and the injury could prevent him joining the IPL for the second year running.

Broad was clearly limping during England's failed second-innings run chase in Galle and was also increasingly hampered when bowling as the match progressed. He was sent for scans shortly after the match.

He wrote on Twitter: "Annoyed to be going home a week early. Not a major injury just couldn't get through a whole Test match."

He entered the Test under a slight cloud having injured his left ankle when tripping over the boundary rope before the first warm-up match in Colombo but, after playing the second practice match, was declared fit for the Test.

It was not Broad's best game of recent times. He bowled eight no-balls one of which cost England the wicket of Prasanna Jayawardene which would have ended Sri Lanka's second innings with a lead of 293. He was also warned for running on the pitch and did not appear to quite be in rhythm although removed Tillakaratne Dilshan in both innings.

England have opted not to replace Broad in the squad which could limit options if another fast bowler gets injured or sick before the Test starts. Steven Finn will be the favourite to come in following his impressive displays in the one-day series against India and Pakistan where he has bowled with pace and accuracy.

The other alternative is Tim Bresnan, the Yorkshire allrounder, and he would compensate for the loss of Broad's batting. However, with England needing to win the Test to square the series and retain their No. 1 ranking they will have to pick the bowling line-up most likely to take 20 wickets.

It could be that both Bresnan and Finn will be called in if England decide they need an extra pace-bowling option. Bresnan could bat at No. 7 in place of Samit Patel, but that would leave a long tail of Finn, James Anderson and Monty Panesar.

This injury is the latest Broad has suffered over the last 18 months. He was ruled out of the last three Ashes Tests in Australia after suffering a stomach muscle injury in Adelaide then picked up a fractured rib during the World Cup. During the home one-day series against India he damaged his shoulder which ruled him out of the rest of the summer and the return contest in India. He returned to action in the UAE against Pakistan and was outstanding during the Test series where he took 13 wickets 20.46.

Broad was due to join Kings XI Punjab at the IPL straight after this tour but he could now miss the tournament altogether if the England management take a cautious approach with one of their premier fast bowlers ahead of another hectic home season which includes six Tests, 13 ODIs and four Twenty20s for which Broad is captain.

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Quick Wickets Bring Australia Back on Day 4 of 1st Test Against West Indies

Clarke Fights But West Indies Still on Top in 1st Test

Chanderpaul Ton Gives West Indies Advantage in 1st Test Against Australia

West Indies Scored 179/3 on Day 1 of 1st Test Against Australia

England Beat Sri Lanka By 8 Wickets in 2nd Test and Level the Series 1-1

Swann Strikes Gives England a Chance of Victory in the 2nd Test Against Sri Lanka

Pietersen's Dazzling Ton Puts England in Control on Day 3 of 2nd Test

West Indies Include Deonarine in Test Squad For First Test Against Australia

Strauss and Cook Half-Centuries Gives England Command on Day 2 of 2nd Test

Sialkot Ask PCB to Push For Champions League Spot

Jayawardene Ton Helps Sri Lanka to 238/6 on Day 1 of 2nd Test

Injured Welegedara Ruled Out From Second Test Against England

West Indies Beat Australia By 14 Runs in 2nd T20 to Level Series

South Africa Beat India By 11 Runs in One-off T20

Stuart Broad Ruled Out From Colombo Test

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