Major changes in West Indies team

The West Indies squad announced for the ICC Knockout tournament in Kenya next month includes a number of new faces and some notable omissions.

Four of the squad have never played for the West Indies before: opener Azeemul Haniff, all-rounder Marlon Samuels, and fast bowlers Colin Stuart and Kerry Jeremy. While Sylvester Joseph, a batsman from the Leeward Islands has made just one appearance.

Jimmy Adams remains as captain and Brian Lara also brings some welcome experience to the squad, despite suggestions that he would stay behind to rest his hamstring and look after his ill mother.

Four players who would have been considered - Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Ricardo Powell and Darren Ganga - are spending six weeks at the Australian Cricket Academy and so were unavailable for selection.

Despite this, however, the selectors have still left out a number of the players who toured England this summer, including Franklyn Rose, Adrian Griffith and Ridley Jacobs. Reon King, Corey Colleymore and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are all injured and Courtney Walsh is resting.

West Indies squad: Jimmy Adams (captain), Sherwin Campbell, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Sylvester Joseph, Courtney Browne, Nixon McLean, Mervyn Dillon, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Laurie Williams, Azeemul Haniff, Marlon Samuels, Colin Stuart, Kerry Jeremy.

Mail Cricket Editor