Cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh smashed 208 on his return to first-class cricket to stake a claim yesterday for a place in India's team for next month's test series against England. The left-hander hit 33 boundaries and three sixes for North Zone before being dismissed on the second day of the four-day Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone in Hyderabad. Yuvraj, 30, who was judged man of the tournament in India's 50-over World Cup triumph last year, was treated for a rare germ-cell cancer between his lungs in the United States earlier this year. He returned after chemotherapy treatment in April and by August had been fast-tracked into the Indian team for the recent World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka. AFP
 

All-rounder Shane Watson is likely to be called home early from the Champions League Twenty20 tournament so he can rest and be ready for the three-test series against South Africa starting on November 9. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said Watson's workload was being reviewed and "that it's likely he won't see the tournament out". "We're concerned about Shane. His injury record is unfortunate and what that tells us is that we need to monitor him and manage him very carefully and we are." The 31-year-old Watson scored 46 for the Sydney Sixers in a win over the Chennai Super Kings at Johannesburg yesterday and was due to travel to Cape Town for another Champions League Twenty20 match last night. AP