High Court ruling leaves world's richest match in doubt

Plans to stage the world's richest cricket match in Antigua next month were thrown into disarray on Tuesday when the West Indies Cricket Board lost a dispute with sponsors Digicel in London's High Court.

As a result of the defeat, the WICB was been told it will have to withdraw its sanction for the 20-million-dollar Twenty/20 match between the Stanford Superstars XI and England on November 1.

That could mean that either the match will have to be called off or that the Stanford Superstars side will be weakened by the withdrawal of most of the leading West Indian players.

The WICB had previously agreed to make all their players available to play for Texan billionaire Allen Stanford's select side.

But Digicel went to the High Court in a bid to establish that, as the contracted official sponsor of the WICB until 2012, it enjoyed commercial rights associated with a game that was, in effect, a West Indies XI v England.

The High Court upheld that argument and ruled that the Board would be in breach of its contract with Digicel if it sanctioned the match without granting commercial rights to its sponsor. The WICB was also ordered to pay costs.

WICB chief executive Dr Donald Peters confirmed the court defeat.

"We understand the arbitrator has ruled against the West Indies Cricket Board and at this point we are trying to evaluate what the terms of the ruling are before we make any statement,"

Peters told Britain's Press Association.

He added:

"As soon as my board has been informed there will be a statement."

The WICB and Digicel began arbitration proceedings under the auspices of the High Court last Friday but were unable to agree a negotiated resolution of the dispute.

In return for putting up the money for the match, Stanford 20/20 had wanted to find their own sponsors for the match, bypassing Digicel.

The fate of the match and several warm-up encounters involving Middlesex and Trinidad and Tobago, now depends on the outcome of negotiations between Digicel and Stanford over the next few days.

Sky Television, which is planning to broadcast the matches, said it was confident that a solution would be worked out to allow them to go ahead.

Stanford call seals Harmison comeback

Stephen Harmison's transformation from international exile to a key member of all England's cricket teams was confirmed when the fast bowler was included in the squad for the cash-rich clash with Allen Stanford's Superstars in Antigua in November.

As recently as last month the Durham quick, who'd announced his one-day international retirement before the 2007 World Cup, was out of the Test side after being dropped following a poor display in New Zealand earlier this year.

But he starred in the final Test against South Africa at The Oval, where Kevin Pietersen marked the start of his England captaincy with a victory against the land of his birth.

Pietersen then helped persuade Harmison to end his one-day isolation and the bowler responded by leading England's attack in a 4-0 thrashing of the Proteas.

Now the paceman has been included in the 15-man squad for arguably the most lucrative match in the history of cricket, with the winners of the Twenty20 contest at Stanford's own ground in Antigua guaranteed an eye-watering million dollars a man each.

Even the four players who don't make the final XI will, if England win, get to share a million dollars of the Texan-born billionaire's money between them as they become the best-paid drinks waiters in the business.

Ever since he reversed his one-day retirement Harmison, who is also in the squad for the seven one-dayers away to India later in November, has been acutely sensitive to the suggestion he was doing it just for the money.

"Steve Harmison did say he didn't want to play in Stanford early on,"

said England's national selector Geoff Miller after announcing the squad at Lord's here on Tuesday.

"He didn't want to be seen to be coming back into the side just for financial reasons - but we want him to be in it and his results this year in both kinds of cricket show it's the right decision.

"We said 'we'll pick this side on cricketing factors and not on monetary factors'. We took the decision out of his hands and made it for him."

The squad is made up of the unchanged XI which defeated South Africa 4-0 plus original squad members Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, Graeme Swann and Ryan Sidebottom, subject to the left-arm quick passing a fitness test.

In a separate announcement, former England captain Michael Vaughan was given a 12-month central contract despite the Yorkshire batsman's loss of form.

Vaughan, who led England to Ashes glory in 2005, resigned as Test captain after South Africa clinched their first Test series win in England since 1965 last month and was replaced as skipper by Pietersen.

Vaughan, who sat out the final match of the South Africa series, has struggled for runs this season. His last fifty, for Yorkshire, was followed by scores of two, nought, 21, nought and 17 against South Africa.

A break from cricket did not lead to an upturn in his fortunes when he came back, with the 31-year-old Vaughan, who hasn't featured in one-day internationals since England's lacklustre World Cup campaign in the Caribbean, managing just 10, nought and 19 in his next three innings for his county.

"The award of an England central contract to Michael Vaughan reflects the selectors' view that Michael still has a role to play in the England Test squad over the next 12 months,"

said Miller.

England are due to announce on September 29 their squad for a two Test tour of India in December.

West Indies v Australia, 5th ODI, St Kitts

Australia 341 for 8 (Symonds 66, Ronchi 64, D Hussey 52, M Hussey 51, Sarwan 3-57, Edwards 3-86) beat

West Indies 172 (Findlay 59*, Johnson 5-29) by 169 runs

In a series that has been as one-sided as a Möbius strip, it was somehow appropriate that Australia saved their biggest victory for the final match. They completed a rare ODI cleansweep in the Caribbean with a 169-run thrashing of West Indies and in the process highlighted their enviable depth as Luke Ronchi and David Hussey made two of the fastest half-centuries in one-day international history.

Both men were batting for only the second time in ODIs and their destructive striking suggested that they will become valuable members of the evolving limited-overs side. Ronchi stunned the Warner Park crowd with a 22-ball fifty that was briefly the second-fastest by an Australian in an ODI, but he was quickly bumped down the list when Hussey completed his in only 19 deliveries.

The two men were major contributors to Australia's monster score of 341 for 8, which was their highest ever against West Indies, and the home team never looked like making a successful chase. Mitchell Johnson ended what had been a disheartening tour for him personally on a high with 5 for 29 as Australia became only the third team to wrap up an ODI whitewash against West Indies in the Caribbean.

Johnson was handed the new ball instead of Nathan Bracken and made the most of the opportunity, drawing an edge behind from Chris Gayle and deceiving Ramnaresh Sarwan with a slower ball that had West Indies in trouble at 21 for 2. From there it was a steady decline and the only real bright spot for West Indies was the innings of Shawn Findlay, who in his second match showed some much-needed resolve to finish unbeaten on 59. Johnson returned to grab the final three wickets and earned his second ODI five-wicket haul.

West Indies fizzled out for 172 and it was a limp end from a team whose only strong effort in the series came at the same venue on Friday when they lost by one run. On that occasion they were chasing 283; this time the task was way too tall. Australia's 341 was the sort of score they posted in St Kitts three times in last year's World Cup. For a team used to playing on huge expanses like the MCG, the dimensions of the tiny Warner Park were unlikely to contain their powerful strikers.

Most pleasing for a team being led by an inexperienced captain was that the brightest stars were fringe players. Ronchi, the owner of the fastest domestic one-day century in Australia, brought his skills to the international stage with a 28-ball 64 that justified the captain Michael Clarke's decision to promote him to No. 3. No bowler was safe as Ronchi clubbed six sixes in an innings that will keep the incumbent wicketkeeper Brad Haddin on his toes. He gorged on Gayle's offspin, slamming three drives over the long-off boundary in one over, and he muscled Fidel Edwards over long-on and midwicket for another pair of sixes.

Ronchi also proved himself capable of more conventional shots. He square-drove when given width and brought up his half-century with a powerful drive wide of mid off against Edwards. The St Kitts crowd has witnessed some amazing strokeplay over the past couple of years - it's the venue where Herschelle Gibbs struck six sixes in an over and Matthew Hayden made the quickest World Cup hundred - and after Ronchi's fireworks they were treated to more of the same from Hussey.

His half-century was one ball short of the Australian ODI record, set by Simon O'Donnell against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in 1989-90. It also consigned Ronchi's effort to equal third, alongside Damien Martyn's mauling of Bangladesh in Cairns in 2002. Hussey was aided by some questionable captaincy from Gayle, who asked Sarwan to bowl the 50th over. Hussey brutally dispatched two of Sarwan's legspinners over midwicket and long on - one of the strikes left the stadium - and against the frontline bowlers he swung wildly and accurately. His urgent approach was only possible because of the earlier hard work of his brother Michael and Andrew Symonds.

The pair calmly built a 113-run partnership that ended when Symonds, on 66, edged behind off Edwards. That brought the Hussey brothers together at the crease for the first time in Australian colours. The pair played much backyard cricket in their Perth home as children and there was a flashback to the days of metal stumps for David when his under-edge to Edwards crashed into the stumps at pace, yet failed to dislodge the bail. It capped off a horror day for Edwards, who finished with 3 for 86 from nine overs.

The only bowler to escape with his reputation intact was Nikita Miller, whose 1 for 38 from ten overs suggested West Indies should persist with him for longer than they often do with slow men. In a series where almost nothing has gone right for West Indies, there were at least positive signs from Miller and Findlay.

For Australia, the tour has allowed a series of fringe players to shine. Shaun Marsh played well for his 49 to add to his 81 on debut a fortnight ago, Ronchi has been brilliant behind the stumps and with the bat, David Hussey has two half-centuries from his only two ODI innings and the reinstated opener Shane Watson was the side's leading run scorer in the five games. To cap it all off, Clarke's first two one-day internationals in charge brought victories. The Champions Trophy in September will be a different challenge but for Australia the future looks bright.

West Indies v Australia, 4th ODI, St Kitts

Australia 282 for 8 (Symonds 87, D Hussey 50) beat

West Indies 281 for 6 (Gayle 92, Sarwan 63, Chanderpaul 53, Lee 3-64) by 1 run

Australia snatched a victory that should never have been theirs as Shane Watson delivered a superb final over that consigned West Indies to a devastating one-run defeat. Chris Gayle's 92 had set up what appeared certain to be a successful chase as West Indies pursued 283, but a string of late wickets ensured Michael Clarke tasted success in his first ODI as Australia's captain.

Clarke found out just how tough it is juggling bowlers at the end of a tense match as he used up his main men Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken in the 48th and 49th, leaving Watson as the only realistic option to send down the 50th. But crucially the final overs of Bracken and Lee contained a wicket each and when Shivnarine Chanderpaul (53) was bowled trying to turn Bracken through leg it left eight required from six balls.

Darren Sammy and Denesh Ramdin could only manage six singles as Watson pitched the ball up magnificently. Three were needed from the final delivery, which Sammy drove to mid off, where Clarke collected it cleanly to keep them to one and give himself a perfect, if stressful start to his one-day captaincy career.

He probably could not believe the result after West Indies were cruising through most of the innings. With eight overs remaining, they had seven wickets in hand and needed just 41 with Dwayne Bravo and Chanderpaul at the crease. Bravo was bowled by James Hopes for 31 but the momentum didn't really start to shift until a cracking late spell from Brett Lee, who tied down the debutant Shawn Findlay and took 1 for 10 from his final three overs.

Lee picked up Findlay through a stunning catch from Michael Hussey, who dived at full stretch to his left at midwicket. Four dot balls to Ramdin followed and West Indies could sense something was going wrong. Disappointment is a feeling that has been common for them in this series, but to throw away such a promising start would have been heartbreaking.

Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan had set them off to a terrific start with a 137-run second-wicket stand that was a welcome change in a series where they have cried out for contributions from their senior batsmen. After battling a groin injury and a dip in form, Gayle was back to his best in an innings that featured some powerful strikes, including a ferocious six over long on from a Lee half-volley.

Gayle also took a particular liking to Hopes, whom he clubbed flat and straight for six before clipping him for four through the leg side in an over that cost 14. His half-century came in 45 deliveries but his frustrating exit just short of triple-figures - he skied Watson to point, where Hopes took a terrific catch - turned out to be a key moment.

Already Sarwan had departed for a well made 63, edging behind off Lee having just dispatched him for a pair of fours. Sarwan pounded the part-time offspinner David Hussey straight over his head for six having started superbly with his first two deliveries driven straight and through cover for boundaries off Lee.

The Gayle-Sarwan union seemed to confirm what most observers thought: Australia's 282 for 8 was unlikely to be enough on a ground with a lightning fast outfield and tiny boundaries. In their three previous one-day internationals at Warner Park, all at last year's World Cup, the lowest total Australia had reached was 334. On this occasion, despite an excellent 87 from Andrew Symonds and a promising 50 from the debutant David Hussey, it was a string of unfulfilled starts from the top-order players that limited the team's score.

Daren Powell nipped the new ball around dangerously and removed both Shaun Marsh and Watson after they made starts, and when Clarke and Michael Hussey fell in the 30s, Australia were 129 for 4 and in a bit of a hole. But Symonds, the Man of the Match, paced his innings well, starting with singles and twos before launching a late attack that featured a massive six straight down the ground off Powell. It was Symonds' 101st six in ODIs after he brought up his 100th with a controlled drive over long on against the first-gamer Nikita Miller.

Symonds also showed off his version of the reverse sweep, an unconventional take on an already unusual stroke. When Miller pitched the ball on his pads, Symonds shaped as if to play a normal sweep, then ran the ball off the back of his bat down to the third-man boundary. It was nowhere near as gobsmacking as Kevin Pietersen's switch-hitting but it was innovative all the same.

When his 78-ball 87 ended with a drive caught at mid off, it was the finish of a 127-run partnership with Hussey, whose 50 from 51 deliveries included a six slogged over midwicket off Bravo and another driven viciously over long off against Powell. To their credit, West Indies' bowlers pegged back the rate in the dying overs when they picked up 4 for 23.

It was enough to limit Australia to a gettable total. As West Indies know only too well, they should have got it. Instead they will return to the same venue on Sunday for the final match, desperate to prove a point to their critics, including their own disgruntled board president.

West Indies v Australia, 3rd ODI, Grenada

Australia 227 for 3 (Watson 126, Ponting 69) beat

West Indies 223 (Gayle 53, Bracken 3-26) by seven wickets

Shane Watson made his first ODI century and Ricky Ponting bounced back to form as Australia completed yet another one-sided victory over West Indies to take an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 224 on a decent batting pitch, Australia ruthlessly took advantage of a lacklustre bowling effort from West Indies to cruise to one of their easiest wins in recent memory, reaching the target with seven wickets in hand and 57 balls to spare.

Watson is competing with Shaun Marsh to become the permanent limited-overs opening partner for Matthew Hayden and his 126 will do his cause significant good. He fell late in the chase, paddle-sweeping to short fine-leg, but Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke had no trouble getting Australia over the line. As well as Watson played, he will rarely enjoy an innings at international level where he is under less pressure.

West Indies' total was never likely to be enough but when Fidel Edwards removed Marsh in the first over there should have been some spark. Instead there was nothing. Just as their woeful batting display on Friday led to a couple of omissions for this match, their ordinary effort with the ball on this occasion must raise questions over the attack, while their fielding was also distinctly sub-par.

Watson's innings ticked over at around a run a ball but he hardly needed to take any risks, instead pouncing on short and wide offerings and clipping confidently through leg when the fast men strayed onto his pads. He cut an out-of-sorts Sulieman Benn for thee fours in one over when the spinner repeatedly pitched too short and wide and the third of the boundaries gave Watson his half-century from 48 deliveries.

However, his innings should not be regarded lightly and there were moments of pure Watson perfection, as when he clubbed Dwayne Bravo back over his head for a huge six, and a couple of straight drives highlighted a sound batting technique. His century came up from 106 balls with a pulled four when Chris Gayle dropped short and a double-arm-raised cheer showed how important the milestone was after 68 matches and six on-and-off years in the team.

Ponting was equally happy to make the most of the insipid bowling display. Early in his innings he dispatched four boundaries in three overs when Daren Powell and Edwards constantly overpitched - the ultimate gift for a man who started the series with a pair of failures - and he rarely looked threatened until slog-sweeping a catch to Xavier Marshall at long-on when he had 69.

That ended the innings of "R Pointin", according to the National Cricket Stadium's scoreboard, which for most of the day didn't even work and left the fans with no idea of the progress as there was no manual scoreboard as a backup. It hardly improved Grenada's reputation after Friday's unacceptable and repeated sightscreen glitches, but really the off-field embarrassments were trivial compared to West Indies' regular malfunctions on the park over the past three days.

The batting looked like it might finally gel when Gayle and Marshall put on an 86-run opening stand after being sent in by Ponting but another string of unfulfilled starts left the fans disappointed. Even allowing for the frailty of the West Indies middle order, it was impossible to believe they would fail to bat out their overs after the openers lasted until the 18th over.

But it all fell apart for them again and Australia were all smiles as Brett Lee became the fastest man to reach 300 ODI wickets with a skied caught-and-bowled that removed Darren Sammy, and then soccered the ball onto the stumps in a comedic run-out as Powell dropped the ball at his feet, started, stopped, started again, slipped, and was caught short trying to crawl back to his crease. That dismissal told the story of West Indies' day.

It could have been so different but Marshall, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan were all caught after making solid starts and reaching the 30s. Sarwan and Chanderpaul guided them to 160 for 2 before Chanderpaul edged behind off Symonds and was snared by some sharp work from Luke Ronchi, who knocked the ball up on his first attempt and pouched it second grab. Four overs later, when Sarwan had 31, he impatiently drove Mitchell Johnson straight to Symonds at cover after being tied down for four consecutive dot balls.

Wickets just kept falling. Andre Fletcher had 12 when he came out of his crease to Nathan Bracken, apparently forgetting that Ronchi was keeping up close, and was brilliantly stumped when he missed an attempted pull. It was the third outstanding piece of glovework from Ronchi, playing only his second ODI. He also sent Marshall back for 35 when he hurled himself to his right, toward where a first slip might have been, to grasp a thick edge.

Marshall had taken a backseat to Gayle, who looked so ominous that shots he appeared to mistime even flew to the boundary. He hammered three sixes on his way to 53 from 54 balls and recorded his 100th six in one-day internationals when he picked up an outswinger on a driveable length off Bracken and slammed it back over the bowler's head. But the only bright point of West Indies' day was extinguished when Marshall's straight drive clipped the bowler Johnson's fingers and rebounded onto the stumps to have Gayle unluckily run out.

It was all a downhill slide from there. After a Test series that, while won 2-0 by Australia, was fiercely competitive, the one-day portion of the tour has been awfully one-sided. And there are still two games to go.

West Indies v Australia, 2nd ODI, Grenada

Australia 213 for 5 (Hussey 62, Clarke 56) beat

West Indies 140 for 8 (Chanderpaul 45*, Clarke 3-26) by 63 runs (by D/L method)

Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke showed West Indies how to apply themselves on a difficult pitch but their hosts ignored the lesson and threw away wickets when the going got tough, handing Australia a comprehensive 63-run Duckworth/Lewis win. When the rain came after 26 overs West Indies' hopes were already dashed and at the resumption they needed a ridiculous 146 more off 14 overs, ensuring Australia took a 2-0 series lead.

The victory came because of two men. On a surface that was sluggish and offered tricky seam movement, Hussey and Clarke compiled a restrained and at times soporific century partnership that allowed Australia to reach 213 for 5 after they had wobbled to 35 for 3. West Indies fell to an almost identical 41 for 3 in the chase but whereas Hussey and Clarke went into Test mode and focused on batting out the overs, West Indies' middle order showed as much patience as a hand grenade.

Australia's attack adopted a stump-to-stump style that suited the conditions and while Shivnarine Chanderpaul displayed his customary resolve, his partners exhibited no such commonsense. Dwayne Bravo had 3 from 21 deliveries when he was frustrated into lofting Shane Watson's slower ball to Hussey at deep midwicket and West Indies were 49 for 4.

Patrick Browne was equally unable to find the gaps and with 1 from 18 balls he edged Clarke to first slip, where Cameron White took a superb diving chance on the second grab. If the situation was not dire enough, Kieron Pollard came in and from his second ball played the worst shot of the lot. In a situation that required a slow and steady consolidation, Pollard went over the top and lobbed Clarke straight down the throat of Watson at long off, much to the frustration of his older, wiser partner.

At the time Chanderpaul had worked hard for 13 from 42 deliveries and when rain halted play one over later, it at least delayed the embarrassment for West Indies. Their revised target, 204 runs from 41 overs, was unattainable and Chanderpaul finished unbeaten on 45 while Clarke ended up with 3 for 26. If little went right for West Indies in the first ODI in St Vincent, there were even fewer positives in Grenada.

Their chase got away to the worst possible start when Brett Lee found Xavier Marshall's edge from the first delivery of the innings. The ball flew low and to the right of Luke Ronchi, who made a good take to give him the perfect introduction behind the stumps in his first ODI. Lee was once again in fine form, seaming the ball effectively and often beating the bat of both Andre Fletcher and Chris Gayle.

A watchful Gayle did not get off the mark until his 13th ball and although a calm and composed innings was required, the captain set a poor example for his troops by miscuing an attempted pull off Mitchell Johnson to Ricky Ponting at mid off. It was a disappointing shot selection, though not as bad as that of Fletcher, who tried to pull a James Hopes delivery that was far too full, and lost his off stump.

The difference between their approach and that of Australia could not have been more stark. Clarke and Hussey knew that after a shaky start - Jerome Taylor and Daren Powell jagged the ball around early and picked up three handy wickets - runs were not their immediate concern. Accordingly, they added only eight runs in the first ten overs of their partnership. Until Clarke drove Darren Sammy back down the ground in the 26th over, there had been no boundaries for 104 deliveries. But Clarke and Hussey are both smart runners between the wickets and they were largely responsible for the fact that 94 of Australia's 213 runs came in singles.

Plenty of comfortable ones and twos were on offer when the spinners operated and if runs weren't exactly leaking there was at least a nagging drip that Gayle needed to deal with. He was not helped by his fielders, who seemed to switch off after the early enthusiasm. Browne was sloppy behind the stumps and Bravo made a meal of what should have been a catch at first slip when Clarke was on 30 and facing Sulieman Benn. Bravo inexplicably moved right, trying to anticipate the cut shot rather than watching the ball, and he failed to get a hand on one that would have gone straight to him had he stayed still.

It was a costly mistake as Clarke went on to sweep and cut a few boundaries in his half-century, which came off 87 deliveries. He eventually fell for 56, struck in line by a straighter Benn ball that he was trying to work through midwicket as Australia gradually tried to lift their rate. Hussey picked up the pace with a six swept over midwicket off Benn and, appropriately given the hard grind for most of his innings, brought up his half-century with a thick edge that flew away for four to third man.

When Hussey holed out to long on for 62 from 105 deliveries his job was done. He had set a solid platform so the lower order could attack and White finished unbeaten on 40 from 39 balls while Hopes added a run-a-ball 17. The allrounders, who might have been under undue pressure had they come in earlier, had an easy task after the Clarke and Hussey partnership, which was worth 100 off 29 overs.

It also gave Ponting, in his 300th ODI, some justification after choosing to bat on a pitch with some moisture. His run of big milestone innings ended when he chipped a catch to short midwicket for 13, out to Taylor for the fifth time in his past six international innings. Australia had already lost Shaun Marsh and Watson, who waited 15 minutes for the first over due to yet another tedious sightscreen fault that did little for West Indies' image after a similar ridiculously long wait in Barbados. In the end it was a batting malfunction that really damaged West Indies' reputation.

West Indies v Australia, Twenty20 international, Barbados

West Indies 102 for 3 (Marshall 36) beat

Australia 97 for 3 (Ronchi 36, Roach 2-29) by seven wickets

A breathtaking display from Xavier Marshall, who hammered 36 from 15 balls, set up a seven-wicket victory for West Indies as they got home with 11 balls to spare. Marshall, playing his first Twenty20 international, overshadowed the strong efforts of a string of other debutants including Australia's openers Luke Ronchi and Shaun Marsh, as the Kensington Oval spectators got their money's worth despite the match being reduced to 11 overs a side.

After Ronchi and Marsh set up what looked like a challenging target of 98, Marshall provided the sort of batting heroics West Indies fans have been deprived of in recent years. Twenty-five came off the second over of the chase, from Mitchell Johnson, the highlight of which was a monstrous Marshall six over midwicket that hit the roof of the Greenidge and Haynes Stand.

He had help from the first-gamer William Perkins, who audaciously went down on one knee to paddle Brett Lee over the wicketkeeper's head for four, perhaps unaware of the bloodied chin Mal Loye once sustained trying to slog-sweep Lee. But Perkins could not keep up with Marshall, whose clean striking was up there with the most powerful one-day hitters.

The signs were there from the first ball of the innings, when Marshall pulled a short Lee ball over square leg for six. By the time he had cracked a couple of fours off Lee's second over West Indies, remarkably, needed 47 from 48 deliveries and it was their game to lose.

For a while it looked like they might do just that. Marshall could not bear to see a dot ball and was unnecessarily run out when Shane Watson collected off his own bowling and threw down the stumps at the striker's end, and Perkins was caught short in the next over. When Denesh Ramdin holed out to deep mid-off from Watson's bowling it left West Indies at 64 for 3 and gave Australia a glimmer of hope.

Those hopes were dashed when the acting captain Dwayne Bravo's 15-ball 28 got his team home, sealing the win with a six powered over midwicket off Watson. The match finished in near darkness, vaguely reminiscent of the World Cup final at the same venue, but this time Australia were not cheering.

Despite the loss, there were some positive signs for Australia, who tested a number of relatively new faces. Ronchi and Marsh opened the batting and quickly showed why they are viewed as men to watch in Australia's limited-overs future. Marsh took nine off Jerome Taylor in the first over, including a sweetly struck drive straight back over the bowler's head for six.

Ronchi had even more fun in Taylor's next over, backing away and slamming a six over backward point before following with powerful fours over cover and long-on. It was an exciting start, and Bravo contributed to the boundaries by apparently not realising the first Powerpaly had finished after three overs, keeping the field in unnecessarily for the fourth.

Bravo had shown some nous by opening with Sulieman Benn, whose spin forced Marsh and Ronchi to create the pace. In response, Ronchi slapped fours contemptuously on both sides of the wicket against Benn but his exciting innings ended on 36 from 22 balls when he gave another debutant, Kemar Roach, his first wicket thanks to a catch at long-off from Taylor.

It was a positive comeback after Roach began his international career with an ugly beamer that Marsh did well to get some bat on. Marsh crashed a huge six over long-on against Roach but then handed him his second wicket when his pull was brilliantly taken by Marshall, who jumped back on the midwicket boundary and then shimmied around the rope like a dancer to avoid conceding a six.

Batting for the first time in a Twenty20 international, David Hussey skied a catch for a second-ball duck before Watson and Cameron White completed the target-setting. It was hard to know what would be an appropriate score, given that it was the biggest reduction to both innings ever seen in a Twenty20 international.

The start was delayed by two hours and 25 minutes as persistent rain fell over Kensington Oval and it was beginning to look like the first Twenty20 international to be held in the Caribbean would not be held after all. In the end, the crowd got to see nearly two hours of relentless entertainment and, importantly, a home-team victory.

West Indies v Australia, 3rd Test, Barbados, 5th day

Australia 251 and 439 for 5 dec beat

West Indies 216 and 387 (Marshall 85, Bravo 69, Chanderpaul 50, Clark 3-58, Casson 3-86) by 87 runs

Beau Casson fought off some harsh treatment from Dwayne Bravo to help Australia grind their way to an 87-run win in Barbados to secure a 2-0 series victory. The visitors' success was not without some tense moments after Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul threatened a record fourth-innings chase, but important breakthroughs to Casson and Stuart Clark exposed West Indies' tail and Australia wrapped up the triumph 20 minutes before tea when Daren Powell flashed a catch behind off Brett Lee.

Much like the first Test in Jamaica, Ricky Ponting's blood pressure was rising as West Indies happily pursued a challenging but vaguely gettable target. They started the day needing 240 more runs to make the highest successful Test chase in history, 475, and the explosive 122-run stand between Bravo and Chanderpaul gave them hope. Bravo hammered Casson with the sort of contempt that could have irreparably dented the confidence of the debutant spinner but, to his credit, Casson stayed on task and made the most vital strike of the match.

Bravo had reached his first half-century of the series and sent the Kensington Oval crowd into raptures with three powerful sixes over extra cover when Casson tossed up half-volleys outside off. Phil Jaques might well have laughed when Ponting asked him to move in to silly mid-off following the aggressive display, but Jaques did as asked and Bravo obliged by nudging a nothing shot that Jaques clasped low down to give Casson his second Test wicket.

The momentum was suddenly with Australia, who quickly took the new ball, and from the third delivery with the fresh one, Clark trapped Chanderpaul (50) in front with a ball that pitched in line and straightened, and West Indies were in big trouble. Some flashy resistance from Jerome Taylor and a gutsy comeback from Sewnarine Chattergoon, who batted with a severe ankle injury, nudged the target under triple-figures but Australia's four main bowlers made sure of the success.

Clark trapped Denesh Ramdin plumb lbw with a straight one, Mitchell Johnson found some bounce to entice Taylor to edge to Brad Haddin, and Lee had Chattergoon caught behind driving at a wide one. Lee finished the job by removing Powell after Casson picked up his third victim when Sulieman Benn skied a catch towards point. It was a solid debut from Casson, whose first-class bowling average of 40.36 may not have inspired complete confidence that he would step comfortably up to Test level. But he refused to back down after being beaten into near submission by Bravo, who had earlier handled the fast men with confident defensive strokes.

Bravo proved the perfect partner for Chanderpaul, who continued to be the rock for West Indies. He tucked and glanced in his usual fashion and brought up his 8000th Test run, becoming the fourth West Indies batsman to the milestone, and by the time he finally departed he had 442 runs for the series, a tally that was more than a hundred greater than any other player from either team and enough to earn him the title as Player of the Series.

The partnership between Bravo and Chanderpaul caused major headaches for Ponting, who was already without Andrew Symonds due to a back strain, and he must have been starting to wonder what on earth had happened to Test cricket if 475 was no longer a safe lead. Such was the confidence of the two batsmen that, until they were split with 172 more required, West Indies' record chase of 418 against Australia at St John's in 2003 was looking vulnerable.

But Ponting's men stuck to their tactics and through Casson and Clark, then Johnson and Lee, the plan started to come together. The most likely result was reached and Australia have now failed to win only one of their past 16 Test series, the mis-step coming in the 2005 Ashes.

Australia head for the limited-overs series with a Test victory, the Frank Worrell Trophy, and a few positive signs, including the form of Simon Katich and a reasonable start to Casson's international career. Still, the win was not nearly as comfortable as they might have expected. Despite the loss, West Indies should be proud of their efforts against the No. 1, and they have proved to the world that Australia's dominance is not as absolute.

Canada to host Twenty20 tri-series in August

Canada will host a Twenty20 tri-series featuring Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh from August 13 to 16 and all the matches will be played in Toronto. The tournament, which was organised by the PCB to fill up its calendar after the postponement of their home series against Australia, had initially faced problems with the backing out of the primary sponsors, but the board has managed to bring in a Pakistan-based business house to finance the event.

"The proposed tournament in Canada may have run into major problems after the previous sponsor backed out of their commitment,"

Shafqat Naghmi, the chief operating officer of the PCB, told the News.

"But we've got new sponsors and hopefully the tournament will go ahead according to schedule."

Naghmi said the board had also received a guarantee from the new sponsors for Pakistan's participation for the tournament. This will the first time in close to nine years that Pakistan will be playing in Canada: they had beaten West Indies 3-0 in September, 1999. Prior to that, they had played an annual ODI series against India from 1996 to 1998, winning on two occasions.

Aussies decide on Casson as Windies mull over options

Beau Casson will become the 401st player to wear the Baggy Green cap for Australia, when he makes his debut in the third and final Test against West Indies starting on Thursday.

The Australians have ignored local knowledge that the Kensington Oval pitch - relaid for last year's World Cup - will be livelier than the surfaces for the first two Tests of the series in Jamaica and Antigua.

They have resisted temptation to pick four frontline fast bowlers and have chosen to stick their long-held policy of a balanced attack which will include Casson.

The left-arm bowler will replace Stuart MacGill, who retired after the second Test, as the only change in the Australia line-up for the crucial Test.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting is confident that Casson will handle the pressure of his first Test, considering the maturity that he has seen from the spin bowler since the Aussies arrived in the Caribbean.

"He has come along in leaps and bounds as a person,"

Ponting said.

"He has been a little bit more outspoken than at the start of the tour.

"It has helped his bowling a lot, and if you talk to him, he feels he has become a more consistent bowler now than when he arrived, and this is a good sign for him."

After battling injuries, poor form and switching states in the past few years, Casson has come to this point following Brad Hogg's retirement, as well as MacGill's, along with the failure of Cullen Bailey and Dan Cullen to impress in Australian domestic cricket.

"I have had a pretty close look at him throughout this tour, and I have had a few good chats with him about his bowling,"

Ponting said.

"He is pretty eager to learn, but he's well sorted to tell the truth. He knows his stuff pretty well, and it's obvious he's had a fair bit of help along the way."

Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0, after they won the opener at Sabina Park by 95 runs, and Ponting hopes the predictions about the pitch hold true, since he reckons some of the West Indies' top-order batsmen are a little susceptible to short-pitched bowling.

"Some of their bowlers have been talking to some of their batsmen, and telling them that they can't wait to get us down to Barbados where there is more pace and bounce,"

he said.

"We are brought up on these kinds of pitches, so I do not think there will be too many Aussie batsmen having sleepless nights.

"But it's also the style of cricket that West Indies have grown up playing. Their bowlers are going to enjoy it, our bowlers are going to enjoy it, but our batsmen may enjoy it a little more than theirs."

Wicketkeeper/batsman Brad Haddin also had a cloud of doubt hovering over him, but this has cleared, following medical treatment which included the nail on his injured finger being removed.

"He was more worried about this than the break in his finger,"

Ponting said.

"He has played with those sorts of things before. He's played the first two Tests with it, and he's a tough little bugger, so he'll be fine."

Squads:
West Indies (from): Chris Gayle (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice captain), Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Xavier Marshall, Runako Morton, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Jerome Taylor.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Phil Jaques, Simon Katich, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Beau Casson.

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Mark Benson, TV Replays: Goaland Greaves, Reserve: Vincent Bullen.
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama.

Stanford confirms 20 million dollar match against England

England's cricketers will take part in some of the richest matches in sport after it was announced Wednesday they would be playing a series of 20 million dollar winner-takes all Twenty20 clashes in the Caribbean.

The matches are being bankrolled by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford, the man behind the domestic Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies.

Starting on November 1, England will play a series of one-off floodlit matches over a five-year period against the Stanford Super Stars, a Caribbean select side, at Stanford's own ground in Antigua.

"I see the Stanford Twenty20 as a fantastic opportunity for current players in the Stanford Twenty20 tournament to take a giant leap into the spotlight and gain exposure to top class opposition," Stanford said in a statement.

Stanford, who described the matches as offering the richest team prize for a single sporting match, added:

"The Stanford Twenty20 for 20 (million dollars) will be a highly anticipated event, not just because of the prize money, but because of the traditional friendly rivalrey that exists between England and the West Indies."

Twelve million dollars will go to the players in the winning squad with one million dollars to be split among the winning management team.

The remainder will be divided between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Further details were expected to be announced at a news conference at Lord's here Wednesday.

Stanford arrived at Lord's in his own private helicopter which touched down on the Nursery Ground, where he was met by a delegation, including West Indies greats Sir Garfield Sobers and Vivian Richards.

Twenty20, which was pioneered as a professional sport in English county cricket and lasts just three hours, compared to a whole day for a 50-overs per side match or the five days of a Test match, has quickly become popular around the world.

It led to the creation of a World Twenty20 and a lucrative event in India.

England set to announce Stanford deal

Allen Stanford, the Texan-born billionaire backer of the West Indies domestic Twenty20 competition, and officials from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are to hold a joint news conference here at Lord's on Wednesday.

Stanford has been holding talks with the ECB about the prospect of his Caribbean all-star side playing England in a series of one-off games at his own ground in Antigua worth a reported 10 million pounds (20 million dollars) to the winners - a staggering sum by cricketing standards.

His proposals also include plans for an annual quadrangular Twenty20 event in London at Lord's.

Stanford is now due to appear at the news conference alongside ECB chairman Giles Clarke and ECB chief executive David Collier as well as West Indies Test great Vivian Richards and England legend Ian Botham, now president of the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA).

Lee blows Windies tail away to give Aussies big lead

Brett Lee ripped out the bottom half of the West Indies' batting with a remarkable spell of fast bowling to hand Australia a 127-run, first innings lead in the second Test on Monday.

Lee captured five wickets for 59 runs from 21 overs, as West Indies, replying to Australia's first innings total of 479 for seven declared, were dismissed for 352 about 10 minutes before the scheduled lunch interval on the fourth day at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

It was the ninth time in a Test that Lee had taken five wickets or more in an innings, and sent West Indies crashing from the comfort of 314 for four to transform the complexion of the match.

Lee triggered a collapse which saw West Indies lose their last six wickets for 38 runs in the space of 68 balls.

His bowling completely overshadowed another epic Test hundred from long-standing West Indies left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose undefeated 107 was his 19th Test hundred and second in successive matches.

Chanderpaul reached his milestone, when he slog/swept Andrew Symonds for the 11th of his 12 boundaries from 236 balls in almost six hours of batting.

Australia had been kept at bay for close to an hour-and-a-half by Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo in a stand of 132 for the fifth wicket before Lee made his presence felt with five wickets for five runs in the space of 18 balls.

The Aussie fast bowler started the rout, when he had Bravo dubiously caught down the leg-side for 45, although television replays suggested umpire Russell Tiffin may have erred with his verdict as the ball appeared to have ricocheted from the batsman's thigh pad.

This dismissal seemed to have energised Lee getting a ball more than 90 overs old to reverse swing on a hard, docile pitch in hot, sunny conditions.

Next delivery, Lee gained another dubious decision from Tiffin to have Denesh Ramdin adjudged lbw for a first-ball duck to a delivery which moved back from outside the off-stump, but which TV replays suggested its flight path was hardly threatening.

In his next over, Lee also gained another marginal lbw decision from Tiffin to send Darren Sammy back for a second-ball duck.

Lee then shutdown a late flourish of 20 from Jerome Taylor which included two fours and a six from 26 balls, when he bowled the West Indies fast bowler, and completed his landmark, when he gained a third, but palpable lbw verdict to dismiss Daren Powell for a two-ball duck.

Mitchell Johnson swiftly ended the West Indies' innings, when he had Fidel Edwards caught behind for a 10-ball duck in the next over.

Clarke to miss first Test against West Indies

Australian vice captain Michael Clarke will miss the first Test against the West Indies after delaying his departure to the Caribbean for family reasons, the player and officials said Friday.

Cricket Australia said Clarke will arrive in Kingston, Jamaica on May 23 -- the second day of the first Test -- after staying in Australia to be with his fiancee following the death of her father.

"I will miss the first Test and am sure the boys will serve Australia well,"

Clarke said in a statement, noting that he would be "ready to go" for the second Test in Antigua.

Cricket Australia's Michael Brown said:

"I've spoken with Michael and he has Cricket Australia's absolute support. During this difficult time it is appropriate he spends a little more time with his fiance's family in advance of leaving for the West Indies."

Brown said that Brad Hodge, who was added to the squad to replace the batsman, would be released from duties if he was not selected for the first Test.

Australia will play the first Test in the West Indies in Jamaica starting May 22, moving to Antigua for the second from May 30 and the final Test in Barbados on June 12.

The tour will also include one Twenty20 international and five one-dayers.

Campbell century helps WI U15s whip Bangladesh

Left-handed opener John Campbell notched a brilliant century as West Indies defeated Bangladesh by 37 runs, in the opening round of the CLICO International Under-15 Cricket Championship Group 1 on Saturday here at the Queen’s Park Oval.

The impressive Campbell showed a touch of class as he scored 112 from 120 balls, decorated with nine fours and one six, to help his team tally a challenging 237 off 49.5 overs.

In response, Bangladesh were restricted to 200 for eight from their allotted 50 overs as spinner Donovan Nelson took three for 43 to do the damage.

West Indies’ total was built around Campbell’s century and two key partnerships he shared with Akeem Saunders who made 23 and Steven Katwaroo (10).

After the young Windies slipped to 64 for three, Campbell and captain Katwaroo added 49 for the fourth wicket to revive the innings.

When Katwaroo departed, Saunders then partnered Campbell in a stand of 58 for the fifth wicket to put the Windies back on course.

Prolific run-getter Kraigg Brathwaite fell cheaply this time around, prised out early for just five.

Leading bowlers for the Bangladeshis were Shahariar Islam who picked up three for 36 and Nazeef Ahmed three for 55.

Ahamedul Kabir then stroked a patient 80 from 100 balls with nine fours but it was not enough for the young Tigers to stage an upset.

He shared a 59-run stand for the third wicket with Ratnak Saha (11) that steered Bangladesh to 82 for two and returned to add a further 55 for the fourth wicket with Rakin Ahmed (18).

The batting fell away badly, however, as Kyle Mayers chipped in with two for 21 to help the Windies take the upper hand.

West Indies were to battle Ireland at the Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday in their next Group 1 match.

Scores: West Indies Under-15s 237 in 49.5 overs (J Campbell 112, Extras 35; Shahariar Islam 3-36, Nazeef Ahmed 3-55).
Bangladesh Under-15s 200-8 in 50 overs (Ahamedul Kabir 80, Extras 33; D Nelson 3-43).

WI coach hails team’s victory against Sri Lanka

West Indies coach John Dyson heaped praise on his side Sunday for clinching their One-day International series against Sri Lanka with a game to spare.

Sri Lanka ran into the rampant pair of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels, and lost the rain-marred match by seven wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis Method on Saturday at Queen's Park Oval.

Chanderpaul hit an unbeaten 52, and Samuels scored 54 not out in a stand of 107 - unbroken - for the fourth wicket, as West Indies, chasing 125 for victory from 25 overs, hit the jackpot with 27 balls remaining.

"The guys did a sensational job overall,"

Dyson told reporters.

"We bowled well and fielded well. There were a couple little errors that we would like to avoid, but overall the fielding effort was very, very good.

"When we batted, the experience of Chanderpaul and Samuels was perfect. They batted superbly."

The victory gave West Indies an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, after they won the opening ODI by one wicket in a dramatic finish last Thursday at the same venue.

"Every series is important,"

he said.

"I've always said that at international level, your aim is to win the series.

"Our group of guys has been working hard for some time and I'm really pleased for them that they've been able to put it together in front of their home crowd."

The third and final ODI in the series will be contested on Tuesday at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia.

West Indies beat Sri Lanka in sensational contest

Chaminda Vaas lost his nerves, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul kept his, and struck a four and a six off the last two balls to hand West Indies a sensational one-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first One-day International here.

Chasing 236 for victory from their allocation of 50 overs, West Indies entered the final over at Queen's Park Oval needing 13 runs to win.

Sri Lanka turned to Vaas, their most experienced bowler, to deliver the last over, and he restricted the West Indies last wicket pair of Chanderpaul and batting bunny Fidel Edwards to three runs from the first four balls of the over.

But Vaas, whose line and length had been unerring throughout the match, delivered a full length delivery and Chanderpaul drove him through mid-off for four.

Sri Lanka would still have favoured their chances with West Indies needing a six off the last ball when Vaas ran up and delivered a full toss, which Chanderpaul duly dispatched over the wide long-on boundary to spark massive celebrations in the stands.

Chanderpaul was undefeated on 62 from 63 balls which included five fours and one six.
The victory gives West Indies a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, which continues at the same venue on Saturday before ending next Tuesday with a day/night fixture at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia.

A record sixth-wicket stand of 159 between Chamara Silva and Chamara Kapugedera had helped Sri Lanka reach a respectable 235 for seven off their allotment of 50 overs, after they were sent in to bat on a hard, true pitch under partly cloudy skies.

Kapugedera struck seven fours and three sixes in the top score of 95 from 117 balls and Silva collected seven boundaries in 67 from 96 balls to get Sri Lanka back on course, after Dwayne Bravo triggered a slump that restricted them to 49 for five in the 15th over.
Then openers Chris Gayle and Devon Smith emerged from an uneasy start to give West Indies a solid foundation of 53 for the first wicket.

Sri Lanka were made to toil for almost 13 overs before they scalped another wicket, as Ramnaresh Sarwan joined Gayle and they added 56 for the second wicket.

But Sri Lanka savoured a purple patch, when they captured three wickets - two to Kulasekera - in the space of seven balls to leave West Indies 110 for four in the 28th over.

ODI newcomer Ajantha Mendis had Gayle lbw for 52 with the last ball of the 27th over, Sarwan was caught behind for 35 off the third ball of the next over from Kulasekera, who also had Marlon Samuels adjudged lbw for a duck off the last ball of the same over.
ODI newcomer Ajantha Mendis bamboozled the West Indies batsmen with his clever variations to collect three wickets for 39 runs from 10 overs, and Nuwan Kulasekera bagged three for 43 from 10 overs.

Windies name squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka

West Indies announced a 16-member squad for the three-match One-day International series against Sri Lanka.

Off-spin bowler Amit Jaggernauth is the only casualty from the 13-member squad picked for the second Test, which ended on Sunday with a six-wicket victory for the home team, and four players have been added to boost the squad.

Coming into the side are wicketkeeper/batsman Patrick Browne, batsmen Runako Morton and Kieron Pollard, and all-rounder Darren Sammy.

The first ODI will be played on Thursday at Queen's Park Oval, which also hosts the second ODI on Saturday. The third and final match will be a day/night contest next Tuesday, April 15, at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia.

Squad: Chris Gayle (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Sulieman Benn, Patrick Browne, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Runako Morton, Keiron Pollard, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

Sri Lanka eye record-setting win over Windies

Sri Lanka can kill the proverbial two birds with one stone when they face West Indies in the second and final Test, starting on Thursday at Queen's Park Oval.

When Sri Lanka flew into the region a fortnight ago, they had a single objective on their mind - to win a Test series on Caribbean soil for the first time.

They gained a welcomed boost to their chances when they clinched the opening Test at the Guyana National Stadium by 121 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the brief series.

But there is an extra special reason that Sri Lanka will pursue victory vigorously in the second Test - and that is to become the first side visiting the Caribbean to sweep a Test series of any length.

Australia came close five years ago, when they won the first three Tests in a series of four before the West Indies embarked successfully on a World record 418 to win the final Test at St. John's.

Jayawardene acknowledged that his side outplayed West Indies in every department in the opening Test, but he does not intend to ease up on his opponents.

"We are going to pay attention to all areas of our game, and see where we can tighten-up,"

he said.

"This is how we work. The first Test is finished, and the next venue is totally different, and conditions will be totally different.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle is well aware that his side faces an enormous challenge to win and level the series - but he would settle for a draw at this stage to spare the flak from another failed mission.

"I believe that if we can remain positive and focus, we can win the Test,"

Gayle said. It's a must win situation for us to square the series.

"We'll try and see what Sri Lanka has to offer a second time around both in the batting and bowling, so it is just for us to return to the drawing board, and come up with a plan, and come prepared to play a tough Test."

Gayle would love to make a couple of changes to fortify the West Indies line-up, but the selectors have tied his hands, since they have retained the same squad from the first Test, except for left-hander Ryan Hinds, who will miss the Test because of a hamstring strain which should rule him out of cricket for about two or three weeks.

One of the places up for grabs is the opening slot alongside Gayle - although the West Indies captain dropped down the order in the second innings of the opening Test, he said he would return to the top for the second Test.

With scores of 14 and 10 in the opening Test, Devon Smith failed to cement his place in the side, and left-handed opener Sewnarine Chattergoon should make his Test debut, after illness prevented him from receiving this distinction in his native Guyana.

The only other selection dilemma facing West Indies would be the composition of their attack -Jerome Taylor and Daren Powell should reclaim their places, but the selectors are mulling over whether to boost the attack with another fast bowler, or add a second spin bowler.

Beanpole left-arm spin bowler Sulieman Benn did reasonably well on his Test debut and both Gayle and Head Coach John Dyson favour his retention, but hometown boy Amit Jaggernauth has made strong claims for his first Test cap, following a 10-wicket match haul in a West Indies domestic first-class match against Barbados over the weekend.

Squads:

West Indies (from): Chris Gayle (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice captain), Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Amit Jaggernauth, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

Sri Lanka (from): Mahela Jaywardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara (vice captain), Ishara Amerasinghe, Tillakeratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Prasanna Jaywardene, Nuwan Kulasekera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Thilan Thushara, Chaminda Vaas, Michael Vandort, Malinda Warnapura, Chanaka Welegedera.

Australia named squad for tour of West Indies

Australia on Tuesday named a revamped Test squad for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, recalling run-maker Simon Katich and including two spin bowlers.

Veteran leg spinner Stuart MacGill and left-arm spinner Beau Casson are among 15 players selected in the squad for the three-Test series, while Michael Clarke was named vice-captain after the retirement of veteran Adam Gilchrist.

Cricket Australia also named a 14-man squad for the five one-day internationals against the West Indies, which includes batsman Michael Hussey's younger brother David for the first time.

Chair of national selectors Andrew Hilditch said 26-year-old Clarke would be vice-captain to Ricky Ponting for both squads after he demonstrated his leadership credentials during the summer.

"With Adam Gilchrist retiring after a stellar Australian career we have identified the need to look towards the future,"

Hilditch said in a statement.

Hilditch said 37-year-old MacGill, who has claimed 203 Test wickets since earning his baggy green in 1998, had used the domestic series to prove he was back to fitness after hand surgery to treat carpal tunnel syndrome.

Casson also won selectors' attention during the summer, with the 25-year-old taking the wicket that won New South Wales the Sheffield Shield competition and finishing the season with 29 wickets at an average of 35.

David Hussey and Cameron White were selected for the one-day squad, alongside 24-year-old batsman Shaun Marsh, son of former Test opener Geoff Marsh.

Hilditch said paceman Nathan Bracken, who is recovering from knee surgery, had been selected for the one-day squad "completely subject to fitness."

Australia begins its tour of the West Indies with the first Test in Jamaica on May 22, moving to Antigua for the second from May 30 and the final Test in Barbados on June 12.

The one-day internationals, which will follow a one-off Twenty20 match on June 20, will be begin in St Vincent on June 24 and conclude on July 6 in St Kitts.

Test team: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Beau Casson, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds.

One-day squad: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Andrew Symonds, Cameron White.