The Board of Control for Cricket in India has roped in psychologist Sandy Gordon to boost the morale of the team ahead of its World Cup opener against Holland on February 12.

BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said on Monday that Gordon would have two sessions with the Indian players in South Africa.

BCCI sources said that February 9 and 10 have been fixed as tentative dates for the team's interaction with Gordon.

Dalmiya, who had a two-and-half hour meeting with the team management during which various administrative matters, logistics and preparations of the team were discussed, said the Indians will undergo extensive practice routines in two sessions everyday for 12 days from January 30.

The team, which will fly out of India on January 29, will play two practice matches against 'strong' local sides in Durban on February 4 and 6.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly, coach John Wright, physiotherapist Andrew Leipus and physical trainer Adrian Le Roux were present at the meeting.

Brian Lara has expressed his desire to re-establish himself as the world's best batsman.

He said he was confident that West Indies could win the World Cup.

"I'm looking forward to reinstating myself as the number one batsman in the world and that is my purpose in going out to South Africa," Lara said.

Lara, 33, is currently at the West Indies' two-week preparatory camp in Antigua.

"Whatever part I can play, I'm going to play it to the best of my ability," he said.

English cricket officials are at loggerheads as players consider requesting their match in Zimbabwe be switched.

The players, through their representative Richard Bevan, will release a statement on Monday outlining their position on the match to be played in Harare on February 13.

The chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, David Morgan, said on Friday that players were ‘examining their consciences'.

He said England captain Nasser Hussain had sought him out to express moral concerns after receiving letters threatening violence at the games.

"Nasser advised me that players who were ready to go a week ago were less ready now," Morgan said.

The New Zealand team left on Monday for the World Cup with security questions over a February 21 match in Kenya unresolved.

The International Cricket Council is expected to announce this week whether the two matches scheduled to take place in Kenya will proceed as planned.

An ICC delegation visited Kenya in mid-January to study security after the deaths of 11 Kenyans and three Israelis in a terrorist attack on a popular beach resort.

The delegation's report has been distributed to ICC directors, but its release has been delayed while the world body considers its implications.

New Zealand cricket is awaiting the ICC's ruling and has said it is prepared to abide by its decisions. Two World Cup matches are scheduled to be played at Nairobi's Gymkhana Club, both involving the Kenyan national team, against New Zealand on February 21 and Sri Lanka on February 24.

England coach Duncan Fletcher believes Australia deserve to be favourites to retain the World Cup.

But he said England could yet pull off a surprise.

Fletcher, speaking after England lost the VB Series finals 2-0 to Australia, said: "It's a concern that we didn't win one. But at the end of the day [Australia] is a really red-hot team at the moment, they go in as hotshot favourites for the World Cup.

"In three out of the last four we've given them a good run for their money.

"You can turn it around and say at some stage of the day a win's going to come.

"Hopefully it will be at the World Cup where it will be obviously more important."

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson will miss the World Cup after doctors confirmed he is suffering from a stress fracture in his back.

However, key batsman Michael Bevan, who injured his groin while batting in the second VB Series final against England in Melbourne on Saturday, might still make the trip.

A scan on Sunday revealed a groin muscle tear, which is likely to keep him out of action for three weeks.

World Cup champions Australia start their campaign on 11 February against Pakistan in Johannesburg, South Africa.

What a difference three months make. At the start of the summer Brett Lee was sacked from the Australian Test team and told to take more wickets.

On Saturday night he ended the season in triumph -- taking three wickets in seven balls in a devastating spell to destroy an England side on the verge of an unexpected victory to square the VB final series.

Five wickets in all, career best figures of 5-30, man of the match, man of the series.

"It's always been a dream of mine to try and have a game like that," Lee said.

"That was as close to a perfect match as I could have as a fast bowler.

"With two overs to go I was very honoured that [captain Ricky Ponting] threw me the ball.

"I knew I had to sort of step up with the greats [Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie] out injured.

"Hopefully I took that weight upon my shoulders and showed what I can do."

Grant Flower starred for the second time in two days to steer Zimbabwe A to a series win over their South African counterparts in Harare on Sunday.

Flower scored 76 out of the home side's total of 261 for nine, and then conceded a respectable 33 runs in his 10 overs as South Africa A were held to a reply of 247 for nine. Zimbabwe A won by 14 runs to claim the three-match series 2-1.

In the second match of the rubber on Saturday, Flower scored an undefeated 107 to guide Zimbabwe A to a five-wicket triumph. And that after South Africa A had won the first game by all of eight wickets on Wednesday.

Namibia lost the Alexander Forbes One Day International cricket series against Bangladesh after the visitors won the low-scoring fourth match by one wicket on Sunday.

Bangladesh lead the series by 3-1 with the fifth and final match to be played on Wednesday before both teams leave for South Africa on Saturday.

Bangladesh won a close match by one wicket after bowling out Namibia for 131 in 45.3 overs. Jan-Berry Burger top-scored for Namibia with 31 runs from 63 balls, while Riaan Walters made 26 and Morné Karg 21. The Namibia innings contained only three fours and four sixes.

The touring side replied with 132 for nine off 37.3 overs. They also faltered at 57 for six before captain and Man of the Match Khaled Mashud steered them home with 44 runs off 71 balls.

Domestic

Once you have seen a match at the Ferozeshah Kotla, two things become quite clear. There is no dearth of controversies that keep doing the rounds and the pitch tends to become more and more sedate as the game goes on.

While there were many disgruntled voices outside the boundary ropes debating the merits of team selection, out there in the middle it appeared that the match was being played on an entirely different wicket from the one that was so diabolic on Saturday.

Delhi openers Gautam Gambhir and Akash Chopra strolled merrily on the square on Sunday and piled the runs with conviction and impunity.

They shared an opening stand of 196 and it seemed that the Bengal bowlers -- who had been quite lethal yesterday on Saturday -- will go wicketless. Towards the close of play Chopra was adjudged leg-before to veteran spinner Utpal Chatterjee even as the ball seemed to have pitched outside the line of leg-stump. Chopra missed his century by six runs but Gambhir was still at the crease with 93, as Delhi finished the second day 198 for one.