West Indies boosted by the return of Lara

Brian Lara has been passed fit and will join the West Indies for next month's tour of Sri Lanka, but recurring back trouble has made Shivnarine Chanderpaul an uncertainty.

Lara, slowed by a sore hamstring in recent weeks, has recovered sufficiently and will depart on 30 October with the squad after coming through yesterday's practice game with no problems.

"I am feeling fine," he said. "I worked out with the team and everything went okay. I didn't feel any pain." Lara missed the recent trips to Kenya and Zimbabwe with the problem.

Allan Donald will miss South Africa's opening Test of their three-match series against India next month after injuring his stomach.

Donald was bowling for the Free State in their game against KwaZulu-Natal when he was forced to leave the field.

South Africa were already without the fast bowler Mfuneko Ngam, who has suffered a stress fracture of the shin.

Bilal Shafayat has become the first player to graduate from the new Nottinghamshire Cricket Academy.

The 17-year-old Nottingham-born A-level student has signed a three-year contract with the club after making an impressive start to his first-team career this summer.

Shafayat was one of 14 inaugural members of the Notts Academy and this season became the only 16-year-old to represent the club in Championship cricket.