BRIEFS - Edwards' comeback

• Edwards' comeback

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC:

Fidel Edwards will continue on the comeback trail from injury, when he plays in a national four-day trial match, starting today at the rural St Catherine Club. The West Indies fast bowler has been named in a 13-member squad that will be led by recent West Indies High Performance Centre captain Shamarh Brooks against a side led by West Indies-A all-rounder Jason Holder.

The 28-year-old Edwards, a veteran of 43 Tests, 50 one-day internationals and 12 Twenty20 internationals, has been sidelined with a worrying back injury since October 14, 2009, after he played for the Deccan Chargers against Trinidad & Tobago in a Champions League T20 match at Hyderabad in India.

This appearance for the Chargers came during a remedial programme, after he was afflicted by the back ailment during the West Indies tour of England at the World T20 Championship in June 2009 in England. Edwards returned to the playing fields at the end of last year to help his Young Men's Progressive Club avoid relegation from the Barbados Cricket Association division one championship.

• Jayasuriya Vaas axed

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP):

Sri Lanka dropped veterans Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas from their World Cup squad yesterday, effectively ending their international careers. The 15-man squad for next month's tournament includes seven specialist batsmen: captain Kumar Sangakkara, three spin bowlers led by Muttiah Muralitharan, three seam bowlers and two allrounders.

Jayasuriya, 41, and the 36-year-old Vaas had hoped to end their international cricket careers after the World Cup and managed to secure places in a provisional 30-man squad, only to be left out from the final 15.

Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-captain), Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga , Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.

• Keane fired

IPSWICH, England (AP):

Roy Keane was fired as manager of Ipswich yesterday after the former Manchester United and Ireland captain failed to put the east England club in contention for promotion to the Premier League.

The 39-year-old Keane won 28 of 81 matches during 21 months in charge of the second-tier side and leaves Ipswich 19th in the 24-team League Championship.

Ipswich were ninth when Keane took over in April 2009. His predecessor, Jim Magilton, was fired for failing to guide the former UEFA Cup champion into the promotion play-offs.

"Results haven't been as good as I'd have hoped so far this season and when results aren't good the manager gets the sack, that's the game," Keane said in a statement released through the League Managers' Association.

• Russians heading home

CHEEKTOWAGA, NY (AP):

The Russians are leaving! The Russians are leaving! One day after being removed from their flight, Russia's junior hockey team arrived at Buffalo Niagara International Airport just after 7 a.m. yesterday in a jovial mood and eager to return home.

About 30 members of the Russian contingent were asked to get off a Delta Air Lines flight for being unruly on Thursday morning after winning the World Junior Hockey Championships the night before and taking their celebration into overtime.