Champions League Twenty20 2009 - LIVE TV, PHOTOS,NEWS

The Big Picture

	India will have to look beyond Yuvraj Singh to counter the West Indies pace attack © Associated Press
Related Links Player/Officials: Dwayne Bravo | Gautam Gambhir | Ravindra Jadeja | Ravi Rampaul | Rohit Sharma | Jerome Taylor | Yuvraj Singh Series/Tournaments: India tour of West Indies Teams: India | West Indies

It's been a year of contrasting fortunes for the two teams in the ODI format, and they have much to make up for in tomorrow's contest in St Lucia. India have had a successful 2009 in the 50-over game, with series wins in New Zealand and Sri Lanka. An unassailable lead with a win in St Lucia will boost their chances of wrapping another series away from home, making amends for their debacle in the World Twenty20 and ending their hectic few weeks ahead of a two-month break on a high. West Indies have been disappointing this year, winning four ODIs and losing eight, but have the momentum going into a crunch game with a comprehensive win in Kingston to level the series. However, they are under as much pressure to perform at home. A 2-1 lead, and more so a series win, will do a lot towards easing that burden and leaving them a confident outfit as they take on Bangladesh in their next series.

The home team's performance in the second ODI marked a major improvement, particularly in its bowling. West Indies found a gem in Ravi Rampaul, who swung the ball both ways, inducing the batsmen to make mistakes, while Jerome Taylor was the pick of the West Indies bowlers. He claimed the wickets of Dinesh Karthik, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, each of whom had a role to play in smashing 339 in the series opener. Though they didn't have a big score to chase, the West Indies batsmen ensured their team outclassed India in every field, with Chris Gayle and Runako Morton deciding the game even before a wicket fell with a century opening stand.

India's bowlers were indisciplined in the first game, bowling 19 wides and two front-foot no-balls, and the trait seemed to have rubbed off on their batsmen. Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj, each got out chasing wide deliveries, while the tail, with the exception of RP Singh, who added 101 with Dhoni to save India's blushes, was hapless. Dhoni, at the end of the game, pointed out that over-reliance on Yuvraj, who has scores of 131 and 35 in the series, was not going to win India the series. And with an important game coming up, India's top order will have to step up, with greater preparedness to counter the short ball.

ODI form guide

India - LWLWW
West Indies - WLLLN

Watch out for ...

Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma: With an average of 25.33 in 39 ODIs, there is plenty of room for improvement for Rohit in the ODI format. Another failure at No.3 tomorrow is something he can ill afford after scores of 4 and 0 in the series so far. Gambhir has had a satisfactory year, averaging 38.80, but his weakness against the short ball was exposed in the ICC World Twenty20, and in the first game by Jerome Taylor. The pair will do well to deliver when it matters tomorrow to boost India's chances of a series win.

West Indies' pace attack: Each of West Indies' pace bowlers bagged wickets in the eight-wicket rout in Kingston, using swing and variations to unsettle the Indian batsmen. Taylor was the best among them, Rampaul was the surprise package and Bravo bowled a scorcher to get rid of Yusuf Pathan. They made the best use of favourable conditions while India were batting, and if they are offered anything similar at the Beausejour Cricket Ground, India's batsmen are up for another serious challenge.

Team news

Ravindra Jadeja had an impressive ODI debut, making an unbeaten 60 against Sri Lanka but has failed in this series, getting dismissed in an identical manner on both occasions. He was out first ball in the first game, playing away from his body and edging to the keeper, and managed just 7 in the second with his team in trouble. He could be left out of the next game for allrounder Abhishek Nayar to make his international debut.

India (probable): 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Dinesh Karthik, 3 Rohit Sharma, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja/ Abhishek Nayar, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 RP Singh, 11 Ashish Nehra.

West Indies retained their squad for the final two one-dayers and Gayle said the allrounder Darren Sammy will return to the line-up. He rubbished rumours of an off-field rift with Sammy and said he had great confidence in him.

West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Runako Morton, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Darren Bravo, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Jerome Taylor, 9 Darren Sammy, 10 Suleiman Benn, 11 Ravi Rampaul.

Pitch and conditions

Gayle expects the pitch to be full of runs as the venue has traditionally helped the batsmen.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies have played nine games at the Beausejour Cricket Ground, winning five and losing four. India are yet to play a game at this venue.

• West Indies' eight-wicket victory in Kingston was their biggest against India in terms of balls remaining after winning. They won with 95 balls to spare, bettering their effort in Port of Spain 20 years earlier, where they had won with 68 balls left.

• MS Dhoni and RP Singh's stand of 101 is the fourth-highest for the ninth wicket in ODIs, and the third-highest for India.

• The average score while batting first in St Lucia is 243. The side batting first has won on seven occasions and lost nine. The highest score at the venue is 363, by New Zealand against Canada in the 2007 World Cup. The lowest is 146, by West Indies against England earlier this year.

Quotes

"It is a case of two good teams playing against each other, and we expect two very competitive matches."
Denesh Ramdin

"Yuvraj, on any given day, can destroy any bowling attack. When he is in that sort of mood (as he was in the first ODI) he is very difficult to bowl to. We have to try and contain him as much as possible but at the same time he's experienced and has a lot of power and he is definitely the main batter in this Indian team."
Chris Gayle

"We have good communication out there which is very good and we can assess the conditions as quickly as possible and make the necessary adjustments. I want him to play his game and I will support him at the other end."
Chris Gayle on Runako Morton

	Both Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan are aware the Indians will be quite a handful © Getty Images
Related Links News : We're looking to rebound - Gayle Player/Officials: Chris Gayle | Ramnaresh Sarwan Series/Tournaments: India tour of West Indies | ICC World Twenty20 Teams: India | West Indies

West Indies captain Chris Gayle has said he is not underestimating the Indians despite the visitors fielding an understrength team for the four-match ODI series in Jamaica and St Lucia.

Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan have opted for rest while Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina failed to make the short tour due to injury concerns. Looking ahead, Gayle said India's poor showing in the ICC World Twenty20 - they failed to win any of their Super Eight games - would have no bearing on the forthcoming ODIs. West Indies reached the semi-finals before crashing out to the Sri Lankans but Gayle insisted it was too early to jump the gun and pick a favourite.

"It is never a walkover against India," Gayle told PTI. "There are a lot of guys still there to give us a lot of trouble, so we just have to stick to the game plan and make it a successful one."

Gayle's team-mate Ramnaresh Sarwan also agreed. "The Indians are a very good one-day team and while they may be without a couple of their players, they will prove to be a handful for us," Sarwan said. "But we are in good form and have confidence in our abilities and hopefully, beginning Friday, we can get a good start to the series."

The Indians haven't had the best of fortunes in the Caribbean over the last few years. In 2006, they were comprehensively beaten 4-1 before crashing out of the World Cup in the first round the following year.

West Indies also announced changes to their one-day side for the first two games, the most notable casualty being their in-form bowler Fidel Edwards who's nursing a back injury.

"There are a few changes in the squad, there is Darren Bravo and [Narsingh] Deonarine coming in and it is a good opportunity for them to play an important part against India," Gayle said.

Despite bowing out of the semi-finals, Gayle was happy with his team's comeback after a lacklustre start to the tour, which included a Test and ODI series defeat to England.

"It was a pretty decent performance. We tried our best but in the end it was not to be," Gayle said. "But I am not disheartened. In fact, I am proud of the guys, as at the championship, not many were expecting us to reach that far.

"The aim was to bring home the trophy and make everyone happy, especially the fans. Having said that, however, it was a wonderful experience, one that I think will serve the team well going into the future and one that should serve us well when we host the next World Twenty20 Championship here in the Caribbean."

Meanwhile, three Indian players - M Vijay, S Badrinath and Abhishek Nayar - are yet to depart for the West Indies as they are awaiting their UK transit visas. "They will get their visas today and are set to leave tonight (Monday)," a BCCI source told PTI. "They are scheduled to reach Jamaica by tomorrow evening local time."

The series begins on Friday at Sabina Park.

South Africa 163 for 6 (Smith 63, Kallis 57) beat Ireland 130 for 6 by 33 runs

	Jacques Kallis powers one away on his knee on his way to 63 © Getty Images
Related Links Player/Officials: Jacques Kallis | Niall O'Brien | Graeme Smith Matches: Ireland v South Africa at Southgate Series/Tournaments: ICC World Twenty20 | ICC World Twenty20 Warm-up Matches Teams: Ireland | South Africa

South Africa got off to a flier thanks to Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis who added 109 in 12 overs, before Smith retired having made 63 from just 41 balls. He hit seven fours and two sixes, being particularly savage on Alex Cusack, whom he struck for 24 in one over. Kallis was only slightly less severe on the Irish, smashing 57 from 40 deliveries.

After they had both retired , Ireland fought back well, with Regan West in particular helping keep runs in check. He bowled with plenty of guile and variety, conceding just 20 runs from his four overs, capturing the wicket of Justin Ontong. Peter Connell (2 for 35) picked up the wickets of Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel, while Cusack finished well removing the prolific Duminy for just 14.

A target of 164 was always likely to be out of Ireland's reach, but Niall O'Brien, who smashed 62 off 52 deliveries, ensured that there were one or two anxious moments for one of the tournament favourites.

Graeme Smith had introduced spin into the attack as early as the third over, and the move paid immediate dividends. They choked the innings so effectively that Ireland were never seriously in contention with a combined analysis of six for 64 from 12 overs, as Ireland struggled to find the boundaries required.

William Porterfield (8), Kevin O'Brien (6), Gary Wilson (0), and John Mooney (6), all succumbed to the spinners, on a track which was always difficult to score on once the pace was taken off the ball.