A district cricket coach was killed while 13 players and their driver were injured when their van, parked on the roadside, was rammed by a bus near Pondicherry on Tuesday, police said.

Stanley, coach of the Nagapattinam District Cricket team, was declared brought dead, sources at a private hospital said, adding the condition of three of the injured was "critical."

The accident occurred at Poovathur village in the early hours, they said, adding the driver had parked the van on the roadside to take some rest.

The team was on its way to Chennai from Nagapattinam to take part in an under-18 tournament.

The Express bus was also proceeding towards Chennai.