India in West Indies

Dinesh Mongia hit a rapid 74 as India crushed West Indies by seven wickets in the third one-day international.

They now lead the five-match limited overs series 1-0 after the first two matches in the series were washed out.

The tourists reached the 187-run victory target with 31 balls to spare at the Kensington Oval. Left-hander Mongia, coming in a the fall of the first wicket, lead the charge with a 113-ball innings that included nine fours.

The 25-year-old added 68 for the second wicket with captain Sourav Ganguly, who made 41, and 57 for the third with Sachin Tendulkar, who was unbeaten on 34.

Scorecard | Match report

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"Tinu bowled very well in this match," said Ganguly. "He didn't play a lot of cricket in the last two months and it was good to see him keep a tight line and length. The pitch had a bit of carry in the morning and he bowled a very good line."

Youhannan took 3/33 in his full 10 overs and set the tone of the Indian performance by dismissing both of the West Indian openers within the first 15 overs.

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"We just didn't bat well," Hooper asserted.

"It was certainly not the 180-odd pitch. It was a good wicket and we should have scored around 250. We then could have tried to defend that total."

"The first three batsmen got themselves out," Hooper continued.

"It was very disappointing to lose (Ramnaresh) Sarwan at a crucial stage as we had just started putting up a partnership. Nobody after Sarwan managed to hang around."

With such a small total to defend, the Windies needed to take early wickets. However, a 68-run second-wicket stand between Dinesh Mongia and Sourav Ganguly settled the matter. "We were just kind of flat after making 186," Hooper told the Hindustan Times.

Sri Lanka in England

England made the most of favourable bowling conditions to put themselves in a strong position after Nasser Hussain won a rare, and important, toss.

Andy Caddick was the pick of their bowlers, finishing with three wickets, while the other three seamers selected all picked up two apiece.

Soon after play finally started at 1340 BST, after rain in the morning, England began making regular in-roads.

Matthew Hoggard claimed the first breakthrough when the hero fo Lord's, Marvan Atapattu, fenced at a ball that just held its line outside off stump.

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Andrew Caddick buried the ghosts of the first Test at Lord's against Sri Lanka as he helped put England in a strong position after day one at Edgbaston.

Caddick took a hammering from the Sri Lankan batsmen in the first Test, but he took three for 47 on Thursday as the tourists were dismissed for just 162.

Caddick said: "Lord's was disappointing, I accept that. We all had a poor first three days - bowlers and batsmen alike. And Nasser is right to expect us to put matters right here."

Scorecard | Match report | Images

ICC Champions Trophy

India have ended months of speculation by confirming their participation in September's ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka where Pakistan are also playing.

India have also verified it will be sending a team to next year's World Cup, but once again ruled out resuming bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan in the near future.

It was thought India would not compete alongside Pakistan, but sports minister Uma Bharti said that Pakistan's presence will not preclude participation in either tournament.

Pakistan have already confirmed their participation the event.

Miscellaneous

Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist has been reprimanded following comments he made about Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action.

Gilchrist appeared before an Australian Cricket Board disciplinary panel at Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

He was charged with breaching Section 1, Rule 10 of the ACB's Code of Behaviour which prohibitis players from making comments "detrimental to the interests of the game".

Gilchrist was quoted as saying: "I think technically if you read the rules, I think he's not quite within them."

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Jimmy Maher has shrugged off claims from South Africa rookie Graeme Smith that Australia were guilty of serial sledging during the recent Test series between the two sides.

Smith launched an extraordinary and rare broadside against Australia's players, accusing them of repeatedly using verbal assaults on the field.

The 20-year-old pinpointed close-in fielders Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist as the worst offenders, complaining of tirades that were "below the belt."

But Maher made light of the accusations.

"It's unfair because I didn't see or hear anyone step over the mark the whole time I was there," Maher said on Thursday.

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