India's tour of West Indies

Fourth Test, St John's, Antigua, day three:
West Indies 187-3 v India 513-9 dec.

Anil Kumble returned from breaking his jaw to capture Brian Lara's wicket and help restrict the West Indies in their reply to India's mammoth first innings score.

The spinner's heroics ensured India retained an outside chance of victory at St John's after the home side appeared to be moving untroubled towards safety.

Kumble discovered his jaw was severely fractured during a morning hospital visit, after being hit by a rising delivery from Mervyn Dillon on the second day.

He was immediately ruled out of the rest of the West Indies tour, and will fly back home on Monday.

Scorecard | Match report | Statistics

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Anil Kumble admits he took a risk bowling with a broken jaw in the fourth Test against the West Indies.

But the Indian spinner insisted he was determined to do all he could for his side before returning home to India for surgery on the injury.

Kumble drew widespread praise for his heroics in returning to the field with his jaw bandaged up in the final session of the third day at St John's.

He duly captured the prize wicket of Brian Lara as the tourists restricted the West Indies to 187-3 in their reply to India's mammoth 513-9 declared.

"At least I can now go home with the thought that I tried my best," said Kumble, who was due to fly home on Monday after being ruled out of the rest of the tour.

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Former players have lauded Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble's decision to bowl with a fractured jaw in the fourth Test against the West Indies here.

"Cricket has a way of producing inspiring tales of valour for the country and this ranks at the top," said legendary former India opener Sunil Gavaskar, who scored a world-record 34 centuries in 125 Tests.

"The spirit, which is so refreshing, bodes well for Indian cricket. In the old days, they said the boys become men when they tour the West Indies."

The 31-year-old spinner was struck on the jaw by a rising delivery from fast bowler Mervyn Dillon while batting on Saturday.

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Amidst speculation over an imminent shake-up of the senior West Indies selection panel, the legendary Sir Vivian Richards has emerged as one of the leading contenders to be on the new committee.

Sir Vivian, the West Indies' most successful Test captain and highly-respected figure, confirmed to SUNSPORT yesterday that he had been nominated by the Leeward Islands Cricket Association to vie for a place on the selection panel.

"It's great in a sense to be asked and to be put up by the board that you represent," Sir Vivian said during the second day of the fourth Cable & Wireless Test between West Indies and India at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

Sri Lanka in England

Lancashire captain Warren Hegg said he has been "used" by England after being overlooked for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's.

Hegg was in the frame for a call-up after wicketkeeper James Foster broke his arm during a net session.

The 34-year-old toured India and New Zealand with England in the winter as reserve wicketkeeper, but the selectors opted to recall veteran Alec Stewart for Lord's.

"They didn't even have the decency to ring and tell me. I thought I was in with a shout," Hegg said.

Australia's tour of Pakistan

Moroccan venue Tangiers will undergo an inspection from the International Cricket Council in June, with an eye to becoming a neutral Test venue.

As BBC Sport Online revealed in February, Tangiers is set to make its international debut with a triangular one-day tournament in August.

But it is now also under consideration as a host for Pakistan's Test series against Australia in October, following the suicide bombing in Karachi that killed 14 people last week.

"An ICC (International Cricket Council) team will be visiting Tangiers to inspect the stadium in June," said Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, chairman of the Cricketers' Benefit Fund Series (CBFS).

Miscellaneous

In the latest twist of the Sri Lanka's administration saga, four members of the current administration are to resignation in protest at the government's decision to send an outsider to an ICC meeting.

The four are part of the recently-appointed interim committee for the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL).

Sports minister Johnston Fernando last week decided to send Thilanga Sumathipala to the ICC executive board meeting in London in June.

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