Lara down with chicken pox

Jason Gillespie claimed the wickets of opening batsmen Chris Gayle and Devon Smith in six balls to have the West Indies under pressure on th...

Jason Gillespie claimed the wickets of opening batsmen Chris Gayle and Devon Smith in six balls to have the West Indies under pressure on the third day of the third Test at Kensington Oval here today.

The wickets would have added to the misery of West Indian skipper Brian Lara who was confined to bed at the team hotel having been diagnosed with suspected chicken pox.

Gillespie bowled Gayle for 71 and then in his next over removed Smith for 59 when he edged to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist to leave the West Indies 149 for two in reply to Australia8217;s massive first innings of 605 for nine declared.

Gayle and Smith had shared in a 139-run opening stand before Gillespie struck in the 24th over of the day.

Gayle, who had been dropped on 50 by Gillespie diving forward at mid-on off leg-spinner Stuart MacGill early in the session, looked in ominous touch hitting 12 boundaries.

Brief Scores: Australia 605-9 decl
West Indies 149-2 C Gayle 71, Devon Smith 59; Gillspie 2/45

Rain plays spoilsport

Kandy: Play on the first day of the second Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka was called off on Saturday without a ball being bowled because of rain. New Zealand, which dominated the drawn first Test in Colombo, had been looking for their first series win in Sri Lanka in 20 years when the final match of the two-Test series was to have started in the hill town of Kandy.

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The outfield was likely to dry out during the day, but forecasts of rain again during the evening meant play may be cancelled again or delayed as well on day two.

Bangla on verge of innings defeat

Dhaka: Bangladesh was on the verge of another big defeat after South Africa claimed 18 wickets in three sessions today, forcing a follow-on before reducing the hosts to 204 for eight in its second innings in the second cricket Test here.

Bangladesh resumed today at four without loss in its first innings and were skittled for 102 on the last ball before lunch on day three, 28 runs short of the follow-on target.

Brief Scores: South Africa: 330
Bangladesh 102 K Mahmud 20 no; S Pollock 3/21, M Ntini 3/32 and 204/8 H Bashar 33, J Omar 27; R Peterson 3/46