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Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGraeme Swann has been forced out of the Test but Stuart Broad is back•Associated Press

The opening day of the series was abandoned without a ball bowled in Dunedin as heavy rain swept across the ground shortly after New Zealand had won the toss and put England into bat.Although there were periods when the rain eased off, and occasionally the groundstaff would make it to the middle, further bursts kept ensuring no mopping process was able to start. The umpires called the day off after the tea interval and time will be made up over the remaining days, with a 10am start and late finish, although the forecast is not too promising.The day was dominated by news of Graeme Swann being forced out of the tour for elbow surgery after Monty Panesar had been named in England’s team for this Test. There was also a return for Stuart Broad after his heel problems.Despite the overhead conditions, New Zealand handed a debut to left-arm spinner Bruce Martin instead of playing Ian Butler as a fourth seamer. Butler, who hasn’t played a Test since 2004, was called into the squad after Doug Bracewell was ruled out when he cut his foot on glass as he cleaned up after a party.Martin, 32, was first part of a New Zealand squad in 2000 but did not get another call-up until the tour of South Africa earlier this year.New Zealand 1 Hamish Rutherford, 2 Peter Fulton, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Dean Brownlie, 6 Brendon McCullum (capt), 7 BJ Watling (wk), 8 Tim Southee, 9 Bruce Martin, 11 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent BoultEngland 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Nick Compton, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Joe Root, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Steven Finn, 10 James Anderson, 11 Monty Panesar

Peter van der Merwe, the former South Africa captain, has died at the age of 75 in Port Elizabeth. He had been in poor health, Cricket South Africa said.Van der Merwe played 15 Tests for South Africa, from 1963 to 1967, and captained in eight of them, leading the team to a series victory in England in 1965 and their first ever series victory over Australia in 1966-67. He was originally a left-arm spinner and later developed into a middle-order batsman.After retiring, he served as South Africa’s chairman of selectors when they were re-admitted to international cricket in 1991, for the tour of India and the 1992 World Cup. He also served as an ICC match referee from 1992 to 1999.Jacques Faul, the acting CSA chief executive, said van der Merwe had played a vital role as a cricketer and administrator. “Peter made an immense contribution to South African cricket both on and off the field,” he said. “He played a major role in changing the mindset of South African cricket from a defensive to an attacking style of play. He was hugely popular with and respected by his players.”The Eastern Province Cricket Board president Graeme Sauls also paid tribute: “I was very sad to hear that Peter van der Merwe had passed away after a long illness. It is ironic that I have just finished reading the autobiography of Peter Pollock and he speaks fondly of his former shrewd South African captain who led South Africa to series wins against England in 1965 and against Australia in 1966-67. Peter, of course, also represented and captained EP during his playing days and I would like to on behalf of everyone involved in Eastern Province Cricket to extend our heartfelt condolences to Peter’s family.”

ScorecardA combined bowling effort from South Africa Women, led by Dane van Niekerk’s five-wicket haul, secured a comfortable 80-run win over West Indies Women in St Kitts, in the first of five ODIs. Niekerk, a 19-year old legspinner, took a hat-trick and achieved her career-best figures to restrict West Indies to 126.Chasing 207, West Indies faltered in the first over when they lost opener Stafanie Taylor for a duck. They were soon 24 for 3 as Marizanne Kapp (2 for 17) got rid of both the openers. Merissa Aguilleira stitched a stable and brisk 65-run partnership with Deandra Dottin (26), but once the captain was dismissed, Dane van Niekerk ran through the lower order as the hosts lost their last six wickets for 34 runs.South Africa had earlier chosen to bat after winning the toss and their openers put up 49 for the first wicket. Trisha Chetty and Mignon du Preez steered them past the 100-run mark but once this partnership was broken, West Indies did not let any batsman settle down and took their next four wickets for 18 runs. Cameos from Yolandi Potgieter and Sunette Loubser took them to 206, which proved to be too much for the hosts.

The shot selection of Bangladesh’s batsmen contributed to their failure in the Test match. A lot has been said about on the subject in the past, and captain Mushfiqur Rahim brought it up again after the defeat, saying that while the batsmen should not alter natural approach too much, better judgement is required.”We should play natural cricket depending on the situation. Chanderpaul also plays the lofted shot but when he does that, there is little risk. The team, including myself, have to learn from these things, when to play low-risk and high-risk shots. We have to understand that the team comes first, and not individuals,” Mushfiqur said after the Khulna Test.They have banked on batting aggressively at most times and this Test was no different. But this approach isn’t working. They delivered two below par batting performances in Khulna, and one in the first Test in Mirpur. The first innings in the previous game, in which they scored 556, was an exceptional performance as they were playing this format for the first time in eleven months. But the same talent didn’t prove to be good enough to last four consecutive innings in this Test series.”All the wickets that fall in a Test match are not entirely down to the bowlers’ credit. Batsmen are at fault too. But in our case, the batsmen gift them the wickets regularly without the bowlers earning it, that’s the most terrible thing,” Mushfiqur said. “We have to work on avoiding soft dismissals. We have been doing it for a long period during which many of us have scored runs as well. Sometimes situations are such that a single dismissal turns the game away from us. Questions are justifiably raised and we are concerned about it.”The balance between the batsmen’s instincts and the demands of the situation hasn’t been achieved, seen in Mushfiqur’s dismissal in the second innings here; he had skipped down the track only to be beaten and bowled by spinner Veerasammy Permaul.”I don’t even know [if] I’ve got out like that before. I don’t remember getting out to a nothing shot like that. It was my fault. I wanted to play a long innings and forge a partnership with Shakib, but it didn’t happen,” Mushfiqur said.He was also upset with his team’s unspirited comeback from the first Test defeat. “It is quite frustrating because we played well in the first Test. In the first innings here, Abul [Hasan] played outstandingly or we could have been out of the Test very early. He kept us in the game and we scored almost 400.”We also missed some chances and it is important to hold on to them on such pitches, because it becomes difficult to get [batsmen] out. In the second innings, there wasn’t much help for the bowlers. As it happens most of the times, we played bad shots to get out. If that didn’t happen, you saw how Shakib and Nasir [Hossain] batted – there were no demons in the wicket.”Bangladesh play their next Test in Sri Lanka in February next year, in another two-Test series. Judging by the number of limited-overs matches they have scheduled at all levels in the interim, the repeat of these mistakes cannot be ruled out.

ScorecardMaiden Ranji Trophy centuries for Delhi rookie Mohit Sharma and debutant Vaibhav Rawal extended Tamil Nadu’s woes on day two of their group game at Feroz Shah Kotla. Delhi declared their first innings on 555 for 4 half an hour before stumps and dismissed Tamil Nadu opener Abhinav Mukund in the first over. Tamil Nadu were 31 for 1 at the close.The first two hours with the new ball tomorrow could be the most watchable of the game as Delhi believe their bowlers could do more damage than the opposition did; at the crease however is Baba Aparajith, who got in at the fall of Mukund, and has hit five boundaries against Delhi’s new-ball attack.The nippy Parwinder Awana had given Delhi their breakthrough, the ball flying off the edge of Abhinav’s bat to Shikhar Dhawan, who caught it on the second attempt at first slip. It was the wicket that justified Delhi’s declaration, that came just after Rawal reached his hundred on his debut.Rawal had grown in confidence during his 221-run partnership for the fourth wicket with overnight batsman Sharma. Their stand became the centerpiece of Delhi’s innings, restoring normal service at the Kotla after Tamil Nadu had taken the new ball at the start of play and had it talking immediately. The overnight pair of Unmukt Chand and Mithun Manhas were dismissed with only 18 runs more scored.Sharma and Rawal came together and waited for the wicket to ease up and the winter moisture to dry out. They played like Dhawan and Chand had on the first day, and were particularly severe on the Tamil Nadu spinners. They scored 102 runs in the second session and when they came from tea, racked up 70 runs in 11 overs. Delhi’s plan, as both young batsmen said later, was to score between four and five an over, with the intention of having a crack at Tamil Nadu for about an hour in the evening. The final session assault certainly Tamil Nadu on the defensive and gave Mohit a chance to show off his improvisational skills.With six men on the fence in a 6-3 leg-side field, Mohit made room and hit M Rangarajan inside out over cover for four, and two balls later carved him through covers. Then Yo Mahesh was paddled around the legs, lavishly cover driven and cut to the fence. Packing the leg side and bowling a line to restrict runs is within the laws – spirit of cricket discussions aside – but the strategy needs bowlers to execute it.Balaji, who had bowled 20 overs so far, returned to stop the run flow, and had Mohit bowled with his third ball, reward for attacking the stumps and running into a headstrong young batsman with a 200 in sight. The score at the time was 526 for 4. When Rawal, who has scored three centuries on the trot in under-25 cricket recently, passed his hundred with a single, his team was standing around the boundary line and gave him warm applause. The declaration came soon after. The match is now merely a chase for first-innings points and the Tamil Nadu batsmen would want to make Delhi pay for keeping them on the field for almost two days.

No fewer than eight spin bowlers have been rounded up to take part in Australia’s pre-season camp in Darwin from Wednesday, ahead of trips to the UAE, Sri Lanka and India over the coming year.Nathan Hauritz, Jason Krejza, Michael Beer, Cameron Boyce and Steve O’Keefe will join those slow bowlers already selected for the matches against Afghanistan and Pakistan, which include Xavier Doherty, Brad Hogg and the Victorian allrounder Glenn Maxwell. Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland are absent due to the concurrent Australia A tour of England.The national team’s planners have also spent time in discussion with the Marrara Oval curator John Furner, directing him to prepare training surfaces as similar as possible to those expected in the UAE and Sri Lanka.Beyond the home summer lies a four-Test series in India, and the national selectors are also thought to be keen to assess their options apart from Lyon.”We’ve got a couple of important series coming up, in the UAE against Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September and after a disappointing series in England recently we feel this is a great opportunity to really put in some good preparation ahead of our next tours,” the Australia coach Mickey Arthur said.”We’re expecting dry, turning and slower pitches in the UAE and also in Sri Lanka so we have a real spin-bowling focus on the next week in Darwin with both our training and matches”The Marrara Oval curator is preparing net and centre wicket conditions similar to those we’re going to face in the UAE and in Sri Lanka so our spin bowlers can get some good practice in, while our batsmen can also get accustomed to playing in those conditions.”The young New South Wales batsman Nic Maddinson is another notable invitee to the camp from outside the list of CA contracted players, while Mitch Marsh has also been included following his dumping from the Centre of Excellence last month for disciplinary reasons.Camp participantsCA contracted and UAE tour squad: George Bailey, Dan Christian, Michael Clarke, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Callum Ferguson, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron WhiteNon-CA contracted: Michael Beer, Cameron Boyce, Nathan Hauritz, Jason Krejza, Nic Maddinson, Stephen O’Keefe, Mitch Marsh

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKevin Pietersen was at his unique best at Headingley to haul England back into the match•Getty Images

It was brash, it was brilliant and it came almost out of the blue. Even by his own extreme standards, Kevin Pietersen’s 21st Test century was one of his most remarkable. It took a Test series that had been characterised throughout by South African discipline and English subjugation and it turned it thoroughly, thrillingly, on its head.As ever with Pietersen’s greatest innings, it grew not just from innate talent but a colossal belief in his own ability. Shortly after tea, he became the fastest batsman, in terms of time, to 7000 Test runs – beating South Africa’s captain, Graeme Smith, his compatriot and not exactly his biggest fan, by almost a year. He gazed upon his statistic, adorned with his own image, on the big screen as if drawing new energy, new belief, from the magnitude of his achievement.One point that has not been stressed enough about Pietersen’s retirement from England’s one-day side after a stand-off with England’s management is that feelgood is not just beneficial to him, but essential to all he achieves. When the ego is not fed, the magic departs.He was comparatively restrained up to tea, making 43 from 83 balls, but in a prolonged final session of 3 hours 10 minutes something clicked. He destroyed the finest attack in Test cricket, surfing on a wave of self-belief. There was still something in the pitch but it became an irrelevance. In that final session, England made 168 runs in 42 overs and Pietersen got 106 of them. Nobody can suggest this Test is not alive after that. South Africa suffered a further blow shortly before the close when captain Graeme Smith had to be helped from the field after injuring his left knee in chasing a ball to the boundary.Perhaps South Africa should not have tried to bounce Pietersen out immediately after tea. It was a legitimate tactic and, if Hashim Amla had held on at short leg when Pietersen was 52, a push off his hip against Morne Morkel, Smith’s gambit would have succeeded. It fell to earth.Pietersen then imagined himself invincible. It must be the sort of feeling most of us only ever recognise after about three drinks when the music is playing, except in Pietersen’s case, the more he sups the better it gets. He flung his front leg to the leg side, to haul a succession of short balls from Morkel riskily above and beyond three boundary catchers, causing South Africa to abandon the ploy prematurely; he stood tall to drill Dale Steyn through point; and he met Jacques Kallis with the whippiest of straight drives.As the Test series was transformed, he lacerated Vernon Philander through the offside to reach 99 and then, next ball, stole a single to midwicket for his 100, leaving him level with his captain, Andrew Strauss and one behind those at the top of the pile: Colin Cowdrey, Geoff Boycott and Wally Hammond. His high-hurdle celebration was regarded by some South Africans as rather tasteless, and after he had raised his bat to his wife in the crowd, his hug of celebration with the diminutive James Taylor, on debut, was amusingly chaste. How do you hug a man on public view who you barely know and who is more than a foot shorter than you are? Carefully, according to Pietersen.Taylor played dutifully on his Test debut, a predominantly back-foot player, like most small batsmen, who fell half-an-hour before the close when he chopped on against Morkel for a considered 34, in a stand of 147, that provided a careful counterpoint to the mayhem around him. He must have observed Pietersen, 22 yards away, and imagined a different world.

Smart stats

• Kevin Pietersen’s unbeaten 149 is his third century and second-highest score against South Africa. In ten Tests against South Africa, he has scored 805 runs at an average of 50.31.

• Pietersen became the eighth England batsman to pass the 7000-run mark. He achieved the feat in his 88th Test. Both Pietersen and Wally Hammond, the quickest England batsman to the 7000-run mark, are the only batsmen on the list with 50-plus averages.

• Pietersen’s century is his 21st in Tests. It brings him level second on the list of England batsmen with the most Test hundreds.

• Pietersen is one run short of equalling the record of Hammond and Len Hutton for the most 150-plus scores (10) by an England batsman. Pietersen currently has nine such scores including three double-centuries.

• The 147-run stand between Pietersen and James Taylor is the fourth-highest fifth-wicket stand for England against South Africa and the highest since South Africa’s readmission.

On 110, Pietersen lashed Steyn so fiercely back towards him that it was a relief the bowler was not struck. Every onlooker, English or South African alike, would have had their most memorable moment. This might be a bit left field: on 143, he failed to spot a googly from Imran Tahir. No matter, he concluded, I will switch hit the next one. He missed it. He probably never read it. He probably did not even try to. But it spoke volumes about how he believes that attitude can conquer all.Until Pietersen deemed what had passed before immaterial, the suspicion was growing that South Africa’s accession to the No 1 Test ranking by winning this three-Test series was only a matter of time. South Africa looked purposeful; England slightly listless. It was the draining feeling when a side suspected that in the home conditions where it had normally been so dominant, it had finally met its match.Pietersen’s conviction contrasted vividly with the dismissals of Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell as England struggled to break the shackles. Smith’s catch at first slip, as Steyn dismissed Trott for 35, came from a cross-batted carve at a length ball and worse was to when Bell, who had announced himself by lofting the legspinner Tahir imperiously for a straight six, chased a curly outswinger from Kallis that swung wide and early.It was an abysmal shot by Bell, one of the weakest of his 79-Test career, especially considering that his dismissal brought in Taylor, on debut, only five minutes before tea. It did at least allow Taylor to make his first Test runs by the interval, an off drive against a long half-volley from Tahir that would have settled his nerves.Strauss was the first wicket to fall after lunch, a laborious innings coming to grief when Steyn, who had bowled too wide at him, finally found a tight enough line to force a catch at the wicket. Alastair Cook fell in a rain-affected morning, the sort of Headingley morning when the fancy dressers would have been better coming as frogmen than paying homage, as many did, to the Leeds DJ, TV personality and eccentric, Sir Jimmy Savile, who died last year.Cook was lbw pushing forward to Philander, the sort of low-trajectory bowler with an ability to swing the ball at a good length who often succeeds at Headingley. He stayed around for an umpiring review, however, which predictably was entirely wasted when the ball was shown to be hitting middle, two thirds of the way up. There might have been a glimmer of hope that the ball was pitching outside leg but it was a wasted review.Batting relationships, as well as the status of players within a side, can often be revealed by attitudes to reviewing decisions that even in real time seem to have a high probability of being out. Cook is not only one of the most valued wickets in the England side, which gives him a slightly greater claim to a review, he is also Strauss’ heir apparent and the relationship between the two men is strong. It all tipped England into a review that Strauss must have agreed to against his better instincts.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Hundreds from Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis led South Africa A to a commanding position against Sri Lanka A in the first unofficial Test in Durban. Having resumed on 141 for 2, South Africa A asserted their authority through a 292-run stand for the third wicket. Despite losing wickets at the end of the day, they were on course to bat only once.Elgar, who has played sparsely since making his comeback from a knee injury, was on 78 overnight and added 93 runs to his total. He spent six hours and 52 minutes at the crease and struck 19 fours in his innings. Du Plessis, who is captaining the side, scored at a slightly faster rate and his 144 came off 225 balls. The pair put on a chanceless stand, characterised by patience as Sri Lanka’s bowlers showed discipline, although they lacked incisiveness.Sri Lanka A finally made a breakthrough when du Plessis was caught at first slip, 15 overs after the second new ball was taken. Two balls later, Elgar was dismissed in similar fashion, giving Kaushal Silva a catch off a thin outside edge.South Africa A lost their third wicket in four overs when Thami Tsolekile was trapped lbw by Kosala Kulasekara. Tsolekile has been widely tipped as the replacement to Mark Boucher and he had taken four catches in Sri Lanka’s A’s innings to boost his chances. He managed only four with the bat, though.Farhaan Berhardien, who had an unsuccessful tour of Zimbabwe with the Twenty20 side, rebuilt with Ryan McLaren. Their partnership was worth 58 when McLaren offered a catch to short leg to end the day. Sri Lanka’s bowlers have already been in the field for nearly 122 overs and still have two allrounders in Wayne Parnell and Rory Kleinveldt to dismiss before they can bat again.

MS Dhoni, the India captain, has proved to be just as successful off the field as he has been on the field. Forbes magazine has ranked him as the highest-paid cricketer, as well as the highest-paid athlete in India for the period from June 2011 to June 2012.Dhoni tops not only team-mate Sachin Tendulkar, but also global stars like Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic, the tennis World No.1, and England and Manchester United striker, Wayne Rooney.According to the magazine, Dhoni made a total of US$ 26.5 million, of which $23 million was earned from endorsements and $3.5 million from salary and prize money. That puts him 31st on the list while Tendulkar was 78th, with total earnings of $18.6 million, of which $16.5 were from endorsements.The Forbes list was topped by champion boxer Floyd Mayweather, who made $85 million, followed by his main rival, Manny Pacquiao, with earnings of $62 million, and Tiger Woods, with $59.4 million.Dhoni’s unprecedented success leading India – he is the only captain to have won the ICC World T20 championship, the 50-over World Cup and led his team to the No.1 Test ranking – has made him one of India’s most popular celebrities, not just athletes.A study by Tam Sports of the advertising patterns during the 2011 ICC World Cup showed that ads featuring Dhoni far outstripped those of any other celebrity. Ads involving Dhoni grabbed a 29% share of the total television ads during the tournament, almost three times the frequency of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who was second with 10%. Tendulkar was fourth, with 7%.In July 2010, Dhoni signed a three-year endorsement deal worth approximately Rs 2.1 billion ($ 42 million) with Rhiti Sports, a sports marketing agency. The deal surpassed the three-year deal worth Rs 1.8 billion ($38 million) that Sachin Tendulkar signed back in 2006, making it the largest such deal in Indian sports history.Later the same year, he signed a three-year deal worth Rs 260 million (about US$ 5.7 million) to promote McDowell’s soda, which is owned by the UB Group headed by Vijay Mallya. Altogether, Dhoni represents more than 20 brands, including Pepsi, Reebok, Aircel and TVS.Sangeet Shirodkar, who helped put the deal together for Rhiti Sports but is now a director at Offspin Sports and Entertainment, says Dhoni’s commercial success is tied not only to his sporting success, but also his surprising rise through the ranks of Indian cricket.”He comes from a very humble background,” Shirodkar said. “That has contributed to the fact that Indian brands are attracted to having him as a brand ambassador. The Indian growth story is targeted at the masses, not the top of the pyramid. [Dhoni is] one among them who has come out and has achieved so much.”In an article for the last year, Harish Bhat, the Chief Operating Officer – Watches, Titan Industries Ltd and Somprabh Singh, Senior Manager, Marketing, Titan also cited Dhoni’s middle-class background as one of the key reasons for his appeal (Titan is one of the brands Dhoni endorses).”Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Dhoni’s brand personality is the respect and humility which he displays, not merely to the cricketing fraternity, but towards everyone he meets and interacts with,” they wrote. “This reflects his strong middle-class values, his origins in a part of the country which has been the crucible of Indian culture and civilisation, and, of course, the simple person that he is. It enhances the esteem and love which Indians have for him”According to the pair, another plus for India’s captain is his ability to cut across demographics. “Dhoni symbolises vibrant youthfulness, which is aspirational across age-groups in our country. A large part of India is young, and the rest of India wishes to look and feel young. Therefore, his youthful appeal cuts across India’s demography.”India’s struggles over the last 12 months – losing eight consecutive away Tests to England and Australia – have clearly not dampened Dhoni’s commercial appeal. With India’s schedule requiring them to play mainly at home for the near future, his brand is likely to only grow stronger.

Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach, has hinted at fielding a four-pronged fast bowling attack for the first Test against England at Lord’s, which starts on Thursday. The seamer-friendly conditions and the fast recovery of his premier fast bowler Kemar Roach from a “twisted ankle” have given West Indies that option, Gibson revealed, saying he was confident the plan would work.With the forecast predicted to be overcast on the match days, Gibson agreed the team management would think hard before playing offspinner Shane Shillingford. “Based on conditions, early season in England it is possible,” Gibson said about there being enough temptation to play a four-man pace attack.Roach, who became only the sixth West Indies bowler to bag a ten-wicket match haul during during the home Test series against Australia last month, picked up a niggle during the second tour match against England Lions at Northampton. West Indies suffered a ten-wicket defeat as Roach finished with three first-innings wickets and was unable to bowl in the second due to the injury.After the rain had disrupted most of the play in the first tour match at Hove against Sussex, the Lions game was the first proper test for the visitors. Roach, who was the highest wicket-taker in the Frank Worrell Trophy against Australia, was inconsistent during the first innings against the Lions, conceding more than four an over. Nick Compton was his only top-order wicket but he managed some hostile overs during various spells. Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the bowlers, with 3 for 79, while Fidel Edwards struggled with his run-up and bowled eight no-balls two of which cost him wickets.Today Roach started with some leg stretches, having decided against participating in the warm-up football but later returned to bowl in the indoor school at Lord’s, after bad weather ruled out any outdoor practice sessions. “Everybody pulled up okay today. Roach was treated twice a day over the last couple of days. He had a little bowl today, bowled six overs, pretty controlled. No complaints at this stage. He is doing okay,” Gibson said.Gibson also brushed aside any scare to Rampaul, who did not bowl much during training. “Ravi just had a stiff neck from sleeping badly; probably staying up too late or playing Playstation. He is fine. And Fidel is fine also. Everything looks all right. All set for Thursday.”Gibson said he was not worried about his captain Darren Sammy having not bowled at all yet in the two tour matches. Sammy did not bowl in the rain-curtailed warm-up match at Hove and then was rested in the second tour match at Northampton. “The captain bowled a lot of balls against Australia, as did Kemar. The decision was made to give him a break, so we wanted have a look at the three seamers bowling together in a game,” Gibson said. But he was happy that Sammy was doing his work in the nets and he was not a concern at all.The one concern that has remained and has kept re-appearing like the dark clouds overhead has been the form of the West Indies top order. In the first innings against the Lions, the top three comprising Adrian Barath, Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards made an aggregate of 10 runs. In the second innings, Powell scored a resilient century but Barath and Edwards failed again.But Gibson walked up to his players after the first-innings debacle and re-assured the batsmen that they should not brood too much over the failure. “They were a little bit disappointed and I had to step in and say ‘look, you shouldn’t be disappointed’ because if we bowled first in those conditions on the first day, we would have bowled them out for a similar score. That is the reality in England in early May,” Gibson pointed out. If West Indies had won the toss, Gibson was certain, things would have been more positive for West Indies.”We batted in the second innings, and even if Adrian didn’t get runs, Kirk didn’t get any runs, but Kieran Powell played very well and got a hundred, so he is full of confidence now. He has got a smile on his face. Darren Bravo has been playing well for us for the last year-and-a-half; he played well, got two half-centuries. We know what Shiv is going to do in these conditions. Dinesh Ramdin got a good knock. Marlon Samuels got a good knock. So the second innings was more like what we know what we can do. We were 20-odd for 3 in that second innings but we ended scoring 400.”Gibson said that the team think tank had also thought about promoting Chanderpaul from his customary No. 5 to the top order but they wouldn’t try and experiment at such an early stage in the series. But he felt Chanderpaul would support the team’s decision, if the case was made for him to move up the order.”That is something that we have thought about,” Gibson said. “Our batting revolves around Shiv. He is very comfortable at the position that he is at the moment. And he is doing a good job for us. So without trying to upset the batting line-up too much, we’ve decided to leave it as it is at the moment. But it is something that we haven’t completely ruled out.”