Lawson to go before bowling committee

West Indies fast bowler Jermaine Lawson has six weeks to correct his bowling action under an order delivered by the International Cricket Council on Monday.

The order follows a report by ICC umpires David Shepherd and Srinivasa Venkataraghavan after reviewing television footage during Lawson's seven wickets for 78 haul on the first day of the fourth Test against Australia.

ICC match referee Mike Procter said the 21-year-old fast bowler will be allowed to play during the six weeks, after which he will be reviewed.

Procter said there were no reports on Lawson in the two previous Tests he played. Under the rules, the ball must be bowled not thrown, and the player's elbow must not be straightened once at shoulder level.

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding said he could name a half dozen bowlers with illegal actions in international cricket and called for the ICC to take action against them.

"I'm happy that they're looking at Jermaine Lawson because I do not feel that anyone should have an unfair advantage," Holding said. "But do not single out one individual. Let's deal with the entire crop."

Aussies tend to lose composure under fire, says coach

Australia's cricket team had a tendency to lose composure in the heat of battle, national coach John Buchanan said on Tuesday.

The latest in a series of on-field confrontations came during yesterday's fourth day of the final Antigua Test as the West Indies positioned themselves for a record-breaking win against the world's on the final day, Tuesday.

Paceman Glenn McGrath launched a barrage of expletives at West Indian Ramnaresh Sarwan in an explosive mid-pitch tirade, which needed intervention of English umpire David Shepherd.

McGrath believes that the West Indies vice-captain had made a derogatory comment about his wife Jane, who began treatment last month for cancer.

But teammates, who also heard the heated conversation, thought the comment had been a routine sledge and was not especially hurtful.

Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer later shook Sarwan's hand when he scored his century three overs later as did Steve Waugh when he was dismissed.

The McGrath eruption followed Windies skipper Brian Lara's heated challenges to several Australian fielders including Waugh on Saturday's second day.

It was indicative of Australia's brittle temperament when under pressure from a Windies team determined to assert itself and prevent a first-ever home series whitewash.

"It happens to us occasionally when either individuals or the other side basically confronts us in a sense of challenging the emotions of the players and ... we tend to lose our composure," Buchanan told a Sydney radio station.

"When it happens we tend to move away from game plans and at that particular point teams can take advantage of that and that's partly what happened today."

"There are times where we can't be the side we'd like to be 100 per cent of the time. While we would like to do that, we're actually human, we're fallible."

Remaining tri-series cricket games to be in Dambulla

The threat of a tournament washout after persistent monsoon rains in Sri Lanka has prompted organisers of the triangular series, also involving New Zealand and Pakistan, to play all the remaining matches at Dambulla.

The last four games were scheduled to be played in Colombo but the prospects of play were remote given the waterlogged state of the venues and the current cyclonic weather system.

The dates of the matches have also been changed with the fourth, fifth and sixth matches now to be played on May 18, 19 and 20.

Officials had said the revised final would be staged on May 23, but on Tuesday moved it forward one day to May 22.

Revised schedule:

May 18 - Sri Lanka v Pakistan

May 19 - New Zealand v Sri Lanka

May 20 - Pakistan v New Zealand

May 22 - The final

Bangladesh hope Whatmore will change fortunes

Bangladesh cricket officials are waiting for newly-appointed coach Dav Whatmore to change the fortunes of their team and are all set to offer a host of incentives if he delivers.

"We think Whatmore will be able to turn things around for our team," said Bangladesh Cricket Board president Ali Asghar, who added that every effort was being made to improve the overall performance.

A BCB source, without giving details, said Whatmore would be given a "bonus" if he succeeded in securing a win in any Test or one-dayer.

Bangladesh have lost 18 of 19 matches since gaining Test status in 2000, their only draw coming in a truncated tie against Zimbabwe two seasons ago. They have also not won a one-dayer in nearly four years.

Whatmore, who arrives in Dhaka on Monday for a five-day visit, is scheduled to take charge next month after completing his contract with the Sri Lankan team.

He will be Bangladesh's seventh coach since 1990, succeeding Pakistan's Mohsin Khan and Ali Zia.

Whatmore, 49, will earn 100,000 dollars a year plus other benefits, BCB officials said.

The former Australian Test player is set to meet officials and players before he takes over formally. He will also survey the training facilities during his short visit.