India's tour of West Indies

Leg spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo may miss the second Test against India, starting on Friday, because of a hamstring injury.

He will face a fitness test on Thursday and is expected to be replaced by Dinanath Ramnarine if he fails.

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India are boosted by the news that off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is definately fit to play.

Harbhajan missed the drawn first Test with a shoulder injury.

"He is absolutely fit and ready for selection," manager Gautam Dasgupta said.

"His availability will boost the team's bowling strength and give the boys more confidence of doing well."

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In his Hindustan Times' column, Sunil Gavaskar wrote that West Indies benefited more from the first Test than India.

He thinks that West Indies would continue to rely on its pace attack in remaining Tests, precisely because of the way the Indian team reacted to their strategy.

Gavaskar also thinks that captain Ganguly should also rethink the number three position in batting order.

Ganguly scored only five runs in the first Test, but insisted that he would continue to bat on number three.

Gavaskar, hailing Rahul Dravid's timely century, suggests placing him in this crucial position.

"They had India on the run, till Dravid played a courageous, capital knock and built that partnership with the gutsy Sarandeep Singh," he wrote in the column.

New Zealand's tour of Pakistan

Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar produced stunning spells of pace bowling to rip through Sri Lanka as Pakistan won the Sharjah Cup final by 217 runs.

Waqar and Shoaib took three wickets each while Wasim claimed two as Sri Lanka, in reply to Pakistan's massive 295 for six, were shot out for a mere 78, losing the last eight wickets for just 26 runs.

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Sri Lanka star Muttiah Muralitharan may need shoulder surgery and is rated doubtful for the start of the tour of England.

The world's best off-spinner tore ligaments in the Sharjah Cup final on Wednesday ans is doubtful for the first Test at Lord's on 16 May.

Sri Lanka went on to lose the match, suffering a 217-run defeat at the hands of Pakistan.

Initially, it was thought Murali had dislocated his shoulder but in the hospital more serious problems were spotted.

And some reports suggest he may even have cracked his collarbone.

Miscellaneous

Surrey chairman Mike Soper plans to challenge Lord MacLaurin for the post of chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

MacLaurin has been unopposed since taking up the position in 1997 but has yet to confirm whether he will seek re-election at the end of this year.

Soper was quoted as saying in Daily Mail: "Whatever he plans to do, I will be standing for the post."

Before Soper took charge at the Oval in 1995 Surrey had not won a trophy for 14 years but have now picked up six in the past six seasons, including two county championships.

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Alec Stewart has insisted his age should not prevent him from winning back his England place.

"For me age doesn't come into it," he said.

"If you are good enough you get picked.

"In a way the six months I have had away from the game may have done me some good as it's the first winter I have had off in 20 years."

Stewart added: "I still believe I am good enough to play for England but the people who will decide on that will be the selectors.

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