Lara ready to return after three-month absence

Brian Lara should be fit for the first Test against India after three months' absence with serious injury, the West Indies captain Carl Hooper said yesterday.

Hooper, speaking after a 22-man squad training camp in Trinidad, said: "The fact that he is in the 22 means that he is definitely being considered for the first Test. I'm fairly optimistic that come April 11 he will be in the field."

Lara dislocated and fractured his elbow in a one-day match against Sri Lanka in December after colliding with the fielder Marvan Atapattu. West Indies were whitewashed 3-0 in the Tests against Sri Lanka - despite Lara averaging 114.66 - before also losing a one-day tournament final against them.

India arrive in the West Indies on April 2 for five Tests and five one-dayers.

The West Indies training camp was attended by several major names of the past, including Garry Sobers. Their coach Roger Harper said: "He was able to share his wide range of knowledge and experience with the players. He really re-emphasised the importance of the mental aspect of the game and the importance of being able to think your way through situations."

The second and third Ashes Tests in Perth and Adelaide have been swapped after a request from the Australian television rights-holders, the Australian Cricket Board said.

England were due to start their 2002-03 five-Test series against Australia with the first Test in Brisbane from November 7-11, followed by Tests in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

"The second Test, originally scheduled to take place in Perth, will now take place at the Adelaide Oval [November 21-25], while the third Test, which was to be held in Adelaide, will now be staged in Perth [November 29-December 3]," the ACB said in a statement. Australia will be seeking their eighth successive victory in Ashes series.

Sri Lanka will contest a triangular limited-overs series with England and Australia in January as a timely warm-up before all three teams head to South Africa for the World Cup.

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