Damp bowling run-up
delays start of play

No play was possible in the first two hours on the opening day of the three-day game between the visiting Indians and Busta XI in St Lucia, Grenada, on Friday due to a wet bowling run-up at one end.

Everything was set for the scheduled start of the game when Indian medium-pacer Tinu Youhanan, running in to bowl his first ball to Darren Ganga, discovered a soft landing on the return bowling crease. Groundstaff rushed in, only to find the area was too soft for any dressing up. So the area was dug up, filled and rolled again.

Busta XI captain Ridley Jacobs had won the toss and decided to bat.

The Indians left out as many as six members - captain Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan - of the side that won the second Test against the West Indies. The team, being led by V V S Laxman, includes Wasim Jaffer, Tinu Yohannan, Dinesh Mongia, Anil Kumble, Sarandeep Singh and Deep Dasgupta.

Jaffer and Sanjay Bangar will open the Indian innings.

Teams:

Indians: V V S Laxman (captain), Shiv Sunder Das, Wasim Jaffer, Sanjay Bangar, Dinesh Mongia, Ajay Ratra, Deep Dasgupta, Sarandeep Singh, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and Tinu Yohannan.

Busta XI: Ridley Jacobs (captain), Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Devon Smith, Darren Ganga, Kerry Jeremy, Dinanath Ramnarine, Darren Powell, Gareth Breese, Pedro Collins, Runako Morton.

Mail Cricket Editor