NatWest series (India, Sri Lanka and England)

Despite their games of one-upmanship on and off the field last year, Australian captain Steve Waugh paid rich compliments to his Indian counterpart, saying Sourav Ganguly was one of the best captains to have lead the Indian cricket team.

"Ganguly has proved to be one of the best captains. He has now acquired great leadership qualities," Waugh, who is here as MRF Brand Ambassador, told reporters.

"Ganguly led well in winning the Test series against us last year and I admired his leadership qualities. He has developed toughness in character and that is what is needed for Indian cricket.

"A nation needs such tough characters and leadership in a captain and normally he (the captain) is not changed," Waugh said.

Asked about the adverse news reports on Ganguly in Australian newspapers during the tour, Waugh said, "I cannot recall newspaper reports but we moved along very well".

Waugh had a word of praise for Kolkata's Eden Gardens too. "It is the largest cricket stadium in the sub-continent and over 85,000 people thronging it on five days in a row is amazing."

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Despite being a nightmare for bowlers the world over, maestro Sachin Tendulkar seemed mighty relieved after scoring his first one-day hundred in 13 years against England at Riverside ground.

"It has taken sometime in coming but better late than never", said Tendulkar after his unbeaten 105 runs had set up the game brilliantly for the Indians before rain forced the game against England to be declared abandoned.

"I know it took some time in coming since I remember the first one-day international I played against England was in 1990", he said.

Tendulkar said the reason why he couldn't score a hundred agaist England before was only because he had played so few games against them in all these years.

"I have played only 20 games against them. It has been just one of those things. I have got close to a hundred before but somehow I missed it. Now that I have got it, hopefully, I will go out and get some more", he said.

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Sri Lanka need an amazing turnaround if they are to avoid elimination from the NatWest Series when they take on India at Edgbaston.

The win-less Sri Lankans are 10 points behind both India and England with only three more matches to play in the group stage of the competition.

Even if they can keep alive with victory at Birmingham, they will still need to win against England and their final match against India at Bristol next week.

Their batsmen finally started to fire during Tuesday's match at Headingley with captain Sanath Jayasuriya pounding the England bowlers for a thrilling century.

However, his understrength bowling attack still let him down with no-one able to keep the scoring rate below six an over, allowing England an unlikely win.

With no Muttiah Muralitharan available, Jayasuriya and his selectors can only shuffle the pack in the hope of finding a way to keep the runs down.

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England skipper Nasser Hussain urged his batsmen to learn from the latest Sachin Tendulkar master class following the rain-ruined game at Durham.

Tendulkar's 105 was his 32nd one-day century, but his first against England, and steered his side to a total of 285 for four.

"I think we learned more from the batting than the fielding. We really learned how to go about a one-day innings and the little master showed us that," said Hussain.

"I had no complaints about our bowling or fielding because we were right in it at 40 overs and then he just took the game away from us."

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Darren Gough has rounded on critics who suggested his comeback from injury may have been premature.

Gough had played in only one second XI match for Yorkshire this summer before making his England return.

But he was unhappy with some comments made prior to the start of the NatWest Series competition against India and Sri Lanka about his physical condition.

He told: "I got the feeling some people were willing me to fail in my comeback game at Headingley on Tuesday, just so they could continue to claim it was stupid to bring me back into such a big game after a long time out.

"It's fairly sad I got those vibes because I was never in any doubt that I was up to the task - and my performances over the past two matches have proved it.

"I felt a bit nervous when I was running in for that first over but once I got into my rhythm it wasn't a problem."

However, Gough went on to admit that he may not be back to full fitness yet.

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England all-rounder Ronnie Irani has revealed how Thai boxing and fishing helped him revive his international career.

The Essex skipper was called up for the triangular NatWest Series against India and Sri Lanka five years after his previous one-day appearances for England.

He has made the most of his chance and conceded only 56 runs from 20 overs in two games against India, despite the tourists achieving scores of 272 and 285.

"They're both relaxing and disciplined sports," he said. "I've been doing Thai boxing since I was 12 and people think it's nasty and aggressive, but it's a form of discipline, fitness and focusing everything.

"It helps with my confidence, belief, fitness and speed and it helps me relax away from cricket - during the close season I spar about five times a week."

New Zealand's tour of West Indies

Chairman of selectors Sir Viv Richards has urged West Indies to copy New Zealand's disciplined approach following their Test series defeat by the tourists.

The Kiwis won the opening match in Barbados and then fought their way to a draw on the final day of the second match in Grenada.

"The New Zealanders knew exactly what they were capable of doing and stuck within that.

"They were disciplined and organised about what needed to be done in both batting and fielding terms. Our guys should have a good look at how they went about things, and learn from that," said Richards.

"We need to learn more about putting in a collective performance rather than playing in bursts. We must observe the way New Zealand played right through the team."

Former West Indies captain Richards recently took over as head of the selection panel, which also now includes ex-opening batsman Gordon Greenidge.

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Shane Bond appears a little embarrassed being reminded he has just out-gunned the West Indies at their own cricketing speciality, fast bowling.

But he admits to having enjoyed the experience. The Christchurch police constable-turned-professional cricket player returned home Friday after spearheading the Black Caps to an historic first Test series victory in the West Indies.

Bond, 27, captured five-wicket bags in both Tests, the 204-run victory at Barbados and the draw at Grenada, to be a worthy winner of the man of the series award.

His 12 wickets (at a cost of only 18 runs apiece) completed a phenomenal eight months for Bond since he shook up the Australians with his pace and aggression on their own turf.

But there is no higher accolade for a fast bowler than to be lauded in the West Indies, where they still retain fond memories of Holding, Roberts, Marshall, Garner, Walsh, Ambrose and company blasting out all comers.

Miscellaneous

Warwickshire coach Bob Woolmer is set to leave the county at the end of the season. Woolmer, who is in his second spell at Edgbaston, told that he is "99%" certain to leave when his contract expires in September.

"It's a very exciting time at Warwickshire, but some of the players I have here are younger than my kids who are now leaving home.

"At 54, there's a generation gap appearing and it may be time for a younger man to coach the side."

Woolmer's family live in South Africa and he no longer wishes to spend six months away from home each year.

Under-19

Warwickshire's Graham Wagg has been rewarded for a promising Championship debut with a place in the England U-19 squad to face India.

Allrounder Wagg, scored 42 in the first innings against Somerset last week and followed up with figures on 4 for 43 with the ball.

He joins a 12-man squad led for the first time by Nottinghamshire spinner Paul McMahon.

Three of McMahon's county colleagues, Nadeem Malik, Bilal Shafayat and Samit Patel are also included, making Notts the biggest contributor to the team.

The Indian team, coached by former Test player Robin Singh, arrives on July 15, with the first Test match taking place at Cardiff on July 27.

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