Virender Sehwag smashes 219 to steal one-day record from Sachin Tendulkar as India thrash West Indies

By then the West Indies had already wilted in the face of some savage batting from Sehwag who set the record for the highest ever score in a one-day international belting 25 fours and seven sixes on a flat pitch in Indore.

Sehwag became only the second batsman in history to score a double century in a one-day international following Sachin Tendulkar, who made 200 against South Africa in Gwailor last year.

No batsman in the modern game destroys attacks quite like Sehwag when he is in the right mood and when presented like he was with an easy paced batting pitch and short boundaries, there was always going to be problems for the West Indies. When he raced to his off only 69 deliveries, Sehwag was unstoppable.

He reached his 150 off 112 balls but needed a little luck on the way. He was dropped twice and nearly run out on two occasions but took India to 418 for five, their highest ever score in one-day cricket

"I was playing my shots throughout the innings,” he said. “I thought [about] it [the double-century] when I was batting in the batting Powerplay and thought if I just bat this Powerplay, maybe I'll cross that 200-mark. When Sammy dropped the catch [Sehwag was on 170 at the time], I thought God was with me and was telling me you just bat till the 45th or 46th over and get your 200.”

Sehwag made a duck in his previous match and has endured a slump in form since the World Cup. Injury prevented him joining India’s tour to England last summer until the third Test and when he did turn up he bagged a king pair at Edgbaston.

The other elder statesmen of the India side – Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman – left for Sydney where they will prepare for the Test series against Australia which begins on Boxing Day. But when Sehwag cut a four to reach his double hundred he justified the decision to stay at home.

Towards the end of his innings Sehwag occasionally slumped on his haunches and the power faded in his shots. He needed an ice bath before going out to field. "I'm very tired because I'm 33 years old.” He said. I'm an old man and my back and glutes are tight.”

West Indies' Denesh Ramdin fell for 96 as the West Indies were dismissed for 265, India clinching a series win with one match remaining.

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Virender Sehwag smashes 219 to steal one-day record from Sachin Tendulkar as India thrash West Indies

By then the West Indies had already wilted in the face of some savage batting from Sehwag who set the record for the highest ever score in a one-day international belting 25 fours and seven sixes on a flat pitch in Indore.

Sehwag became only the second batsman in history to score a double century in a one-day international following Sachin Tendulkar, who made 200 against South Africa in Gwailor last year.

No batsman in the modern game destroys attacks quite like Sehwag when he is in the right mood and when presented like he was with an easy paced batting pitch and short boundaries, there was always going to be problems for the West Indies. When he raced to his off only 69 deliveries, Sehwag was unstoppable.

He reached his 150 off 112 balls but needed a little luck on the way. He was dropped twice and nearly run out on two occasions but took India to 418 for five, their highest ever score in one-day cricket

"I was playing my shots throughout the innings,” he said. “I thought [about] it [the double-century] when I was batting in the batting Powerplay and thought if I just bat this Powerplay, maybe I'll cross that 200-mark. When Sammy dropped the catch [Sehwag was on 170 at the time], I thought God was with me and was telling me you just bat till the 45th or 46th over and get your 200.”

Sehwag made a duck in his previous match and has endured a slump in form since the World Cup. Injury prevented him joining India’s tour to England last summer until the third Test and when he did turn up he bagged a king pair at Edgbaston.

The other elder statesmen of the India side – Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman – left for Sydney where they will prepare for the Test series against Australia which begins on Boxing Day. But when Sehwag cut a four to reach his double hundred he justified the decision to stay at home.

Towards the end of his innings Sehwag occasionally slumped on his haunches and the power faded in his shots. He needed an ice bath before going out to field. "I'm very tired because I'm 33 years old.” He said. I'm an old man and my back and glutes are tight.”

West Indies' Denesh Ramdin fell for 96 as the West Indies were dismissed for 265, India clinching a series win with one match remaining.

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Leicestershire future in doubt after record losses announced

Leicestershire made a profit of just £689 in 2009 and were quickly back in the red after income fell from £2.5?million to £2.4?million and expenditure rose from £2.5?million to £2.8?million.

Leicestershire are locked in legal disputes with former chairman Neil Davidson and David Smith, whose resignation as chief executive in June, plunged the club into crisis.

Davidson is trying to reclaim £109,000 he loaned the club during the summer to pay a VAT bill, Leicestershire claim that Davidson agreed to pay £71,500 towards captain Matthew Hoggard’s salary package.

Smith is pursuing a claim for constructive dismissal and his case is due to be heard at an employment tribunal in Leicester in late March.

Leicestershire’s auditors Thomas May and Co have included a warning in the accounts, which have been circulated to members ahead of next month’s annual meeting. “These conditions....indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast doubt about the Club’s ability to continue as a going concern,” say the auditors.

Mike Sidall, Leicestershire’s new chief executive, said that steps have been taken to improve the club’s finances.

“We have got recovery plans in place and we are predicting a return to profit this year all things being equal,” Siddall said.

Former South Africa and Warwickshire fast bowler Allan Donald has been appointed New Zealand’s coaching consultant.

India will gamble on the fitness of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Praveen Kumar after the four injured players were included in the final 15-member squad on Monday for next month’s World Cup.

Regular openers Sehwag and Gambhir and paceman Kumar missed the current five-match one-day international series against South Africa through injury while Tendulkar hurt his hamstring in Saturday’s second match and returned home.

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The Cricket World Cup Email: Geoffrey Boycott on England's bowling problems, and Sri Lanka's record breakers

Their strength is to bowl line and length and very straight at the stumps not giving any width to the opposition batsmen. Their strength in Test match cricket becomes a weakness on flat, good batting pitches. When batsmen are trying to slog you in one-day cricket it is a huge plus to know exactly where the ball is going to arrive. Our seamers don’t bowl enough variation of yorkers, slower balls and if they try to bowl them they don’t always do it accurately.

• Geoffrey Boycott will be previewing all of England's games throughout this tournament, while Derek Pringle, Scyld Berry and Steve James will also bring you their thoughts on the rest of the action.

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Stat of the day: The 282-run opening partnership between Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga's opening stand of 282 against Zimbabwe is the highest in World Cup history.

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Tweet of the day: @swannyg66: "Constantly touring the world, missing the family, endless nights in hotels. Hard enough, but missing pancake day? Is it all worth it?

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Yesterday at the World Cup

Andrew Strauss has defended Kevin Pietersen's decision to leave the Cricket World Cup to have surgery on his hernia, saying: "Kevin desperately wanted to play in this World Cup."

The Board for Control of Cricket in India has heightened security following a reported alert issued by the country's Intelligence Bureau of possible terror attacks.

Hashim Amla says it is India who are under most pressure ahead of Saturday's marquee clash with South Africa in Nagpur. "Being at home comes with a lot of expectation. The pressure is on us as much as."

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Today's debate:

Will South Africa and India meet again in the CWC final? Tweet @telegraphsport, or send your emails to sportfeedback@telegraph.co.uk.

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Your emails:

"England should put Swann in as opener. He opens for his county, swings the bat well and can score heavy. On the other hand if he gets out, well we have only lost a bowler's wicket.," mails Edwin.

"Not at all sure where this description of Prior as the best player of spin in the side comes from. Bell and Bopara have reputations for good players of spin. Bell from his stint against Pakistan A for the Lions and against Bangladesh last year. Bell also batted well against Murali in 2007. Bopara uses his wrists, Bell his feet. Not sure that Prior does much. We'll see," adds Jackie Potts.

"I'd love to see Bell open, and a middle order with Bopara, Morgan and Prior at six. I just don't think it will happen. This will give us a greatly strengthened middle order, and our best batsmen opening up," says Derridian.

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Fantasy Cricket World Cup
Graeme Swann is expensive (8) but will like today's wicket. Tamim Iqbal (5) could be a good shout too. www.telegraph.co.uk/fantasycricket.

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