India in West Indies

Final Test, Jamaica, day four:
India 212 & 237-7 v West Indies 422 & 197.

West Indies were close to clinching a series victory at the end of the fourth day as India struggled to 171 runs behind with only three wickets remaining.

Sachin Tendulkar had looked capable of guiding India to a dramatic win, passing 8,000 Test runs as they chased a massive target of 408.

But when India's star man was bowled by Pedro Collins for 86 it appeared that all hope was gone for the tourists.

Ajay Ratra was left unbeaten on 16 and Zaheer Khan on 4 at the close of play, but Collins and Adam Sanford will expect to add to their three wickets apiece on Wednesday.

Scorecard | Match report | Statistics

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Sachin Tendulkar reached another milestone in his already impressive career as he battled to keep India in the fourth Test with the West Indies on Tuesday.

When he cut off-spinner Carl Hooper for four just before tea, the 29-year-old became only the second Indian batsman and the 10th in history to pass 8,000 Test runs.

It comes only a month after Tendulkar scored 117 at Port of Spain to equal the legendary Don Bradman's record of 29 Test centuries.

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West Indies paceman Mervyn Dillon has announced that his first five-wicket Test haul in four years was inspired by team-mate Brian Lara.

The Trinidadian finished with career-best figures of 5-71 as India were bowled out for 212 in their first innings on the third day of the deciding fifth Test on Monday. West Indies reached the close on 165-7, a lead of 375 runs.

"Brian Lara had a chat with the guys yesterday and he said a few things that really helped me take a step in the right direction," Dillon said.

Sri Lanka in England

Sri Lanka's team management say they could select Ruchira Perera for the second Test against England even though the bowler has been reported as having a suspect action.

Perera was reported by the umpires at the end of the drawn first Test at Lord's. The pace man finished with a match haul of five for 138 - career-best figures in his seventh Test match.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has a three-stage process for bowlers reported in international cricket.

Perera has now been referred to the first stage, which means that he can continue to play while working with a specialist advisor appointed his own national board.

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England's cricketers will be involved in county games this week in an attempt to ensure they are firing on all cylinders in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston.

Skipper Nasser Hussain wants his players to stay sharp after a poor performance on the first three days of the opening Test, which ended in a draw.

Eight centrally contracted players were in the side at Lord's and all will be in action for their counties.

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Australian fast bowler Mike Kasprowicz says he has seen the answer to England's pace problems - his Glamorgan team-mate Simon Jones.

England captain Nasser Hussain bemoaned the lack of speed in his bowling attack as the first Test against Sri Lanka ended in a draw at Lord's.

With Darren Gough injured, the answer to Hussain's prayers seems to be between Jones, Alex Tudor and Durham's Steve Harmison.

Harmison currently has a muscle injury, so Jones has the perfect chance to impress the selectors when he lines up for Glamorgan against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on Thursday.

Miscellaneous

Three historic letters to and from the first English team to tour Australia in 1862 are to be auctioned off here next month.

The series includes a draft proposal for the tour of Heathfield Stephenson's team, a letter of thanks from the Melbourne Cricket Club and a reply from Stephenson who took over as captain for the tour after Charles Dickens had to pull out.

A private English collector is putting the three letters up for sale as individual lots at Christie's annual tennis, cricket and traditional sports sale on June 25 which is expected to fetch a total in excess of $660,000.

A one page letter dated September 25, 1861 and signed by Stephenson and his 11 team-mates is a draft of the full agreement to open the tour at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on new year's day, 1862 against Victoria.

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New Zealand Cricket have absolved the Pakistani authorities of any responsibility for the abrupt end of their recent tour.

The squad were ordered home just hours before the start of a Test match in Karachi following a bomb blast outside the team hotel.

But NZC chief executive Martin Snedden has confirmed that the Pakistan Cricket Board and government "did everything reasonably possible" to ensure the safety of the players during the trip.

His comments are a boost to Pakistan's hopes of staging a home series against Australia later this year.

In a letter to the PCB, Snedden wrote: "Unfortunately the lesson we have learnt from this incident is that it is virtually impossible to provide complete protection when you are dealing with people who are prepared to sacrifice their own lives in order to inflcit damageand misery on others.

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Former Pakistan captain Salim Malik has lost his appeal against a life ban from the game. The ban and a 1m rupee (£200,000) fine were imposed two years ago following Justice Qayyum's investigation into match-fixing allegations against a number of Pakistan players.

It followed bribery allegations made against Malik by Australians Shane Warne, Mark Waugh and Tim May.

The 39-year-old has always protested his innocence, however, and launched an appeal at the High Court in Lahore last November.

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The United Cricket Board of South Africa has voiced disquiet over Allan Donald's plans to play county cricket for Worcestershire.

Donald is due to spend three weeks at New Road next month as cover for Andy Bichel, who will be playing for Australia in three one-day matches against Pakistan.

But UCBSA chief executive Gerald Majola says Donald cannot play for anyone without the Board's permission.

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The National Cricket Committee of the United Cricket Board is mandated to investigate issues around national selection; national team management, coaching and support structures; and developing a strategy for the national team for the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup and beyond.

The committee will make a recommendation to the General Council of the UCBSA regarding a possible candidate to join the NCC to replace selectors Pat Symcox and Haroon Lorgat who are to leave the NCC. The national convenor of selectors, Omar Henry, remains on the NCC as a representative of the selection panel.

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