London, Dec 9 : Five thousand police officers, including 300 highly-trained commandos, will provide security cover ahead of first Test in Chennai to English players who arrived in India on Monday.

The Tamil Nadu police force has launched a major security operation unseen before in the world cricket, The Telegraph reported.

The unprecedented security for England includes a total lockdown at the team hotel, the clearance of roads to and from the stadium and the use of armed guards from Rapid Action Force -- a specialist team of riot police.

“We are deploying over 5,000 people at the hotel and stadium,” said P Balasubramaniam, Joint Commissioner of Tamil Nadu Police.

Cape Town (South Africa), Dec. 9 : The ICC Chief Executives’ Committee met here on December 7 and 8 and discussed a range of issues relating to the playing and the business of cricket, some of which will be considered by the ICC Board when it next meets, in Perth at the end of January.

The results of the meeting were as follows:

Sydney, Dec 8 : Injured spinner Jason Krejza and all-rounder Shane Watson have been recalled to Australia’s 12-man squad for next week’s first Test against South Africa beginning in Perth.

Off-spinner Krejza has been selected subject to fitness after missing the second Test win over New Zealand in Adelaide due to an ankle injury, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The 25-year-old hasn’t played a Test since taking 12 wickets on his debut in the final Test against India in Nagpur last month. Watson edged him out in the opening match of the NZ series in Brisbane.

Sydney, Dec. 8 : In form New South Wales batsman David Warner has caught the attention of Indian Premier League scouts, and could turn out for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the second season of the Twenty20 competition next year.

Warner has blasted Tasmania for 165 not out (from 112 balls) and 97 (from 54 balls) over the past eight days - the latter innings contributing to NSW''s thrilling tie with the Tigers at Bellerive Oval yesterday.

Sydney, Dec. 8 : Australian cricket coach Tim Nielsen has admitted his pacers need to improve their ability to reverse swing, and is confident of an improved old-ball performance against South Africa.

Nielsen concedes Australia''s pace bowlers have been sluggish in identifying the precise moment to abandon conventional swing for reverse, and have paid a heavy price.

"We will play the conditions as they present themselves, and change our plans quickly if we need to," Nielsen said.