(Reuters) - Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris is expected to be fit for the Ashes series against England in July after his Achilles injury was deemed not serious, the country's cricket board said on Friday. The 33-year-old bowler picked up the injury playing in the Indian Premier League and returned home after completing his third match on April 14.

Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc will have surgery later this week on an ankle injury as he races the clock to be fit for the Ashes series against England, Cricket Australia said Tuesday. The left-armer will return from the team's tour of India early, missing the fourth Test, for the operation. Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said Starc, who has taken 30 wickets in his nine-Test career, would have bone spurs on his right ankle removed. "Mitch will have surgery later this week and we'll assess his recovery as he returns to bowling," he said in a statement.

Australia will send an advance party of eight players to India this week to help acclimatise to the playing conditions ahead of the four-Test series later this month, Cricket Australia said on Monday. Chief selector John Inverarity said the squad would travel to India in three separate groups catering for playing commitments in the current one-day series at home against the West Indies which ends next week.

PERTH, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Paceman Mitchell Starc helped consign West Indies to their third lowest total in one-day internationals as Australia's top order needed less than 10 overs to race to a nine-wicket victory at the WACA on Friday. Man-of-the-match Starc captured five wickets for 20 and burly quick Clint McKay returned figures of 3-10 as the tourists were skittled for 70, having won the toss and elected to bat first on a baking hot day.