Campbell wins recall

Windies' opening batsman back in squad

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) -- Opening batsman Sherwin Campbell, the 31-year-old former vice captain, was recalled by the West Indies selectors Tuesday for the team's short cricket series against Pakistan starting Jan. 31.

The Caribbean team will play two tests and three one-day internationals in the neutral site of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The tour was shifted from Pakistan because of the West Indies' concerns over security in light of the uncertain situation in Afghanistan and continuing tension between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

Campbell played the last of his 51 test matches a year ago in Sydney, Australia but has missed home series against South Africa and visits to Zimbabwe, Kenya and Sri Lanka in the interim.

He owes his recall mainly to his experience on a team missing star batsman Brian Lara, and the left-hander's 21-year-old protege, Ramnaresh Sarwan. Lara is still recovering from the freak injury last December in Sri Lanka that dislocated and fractured his left elbow, while Sarwan was a late withdrawal with a back strain.

Campbell was not among the 22 players named for a pre-tour trial match in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad last weekend, but was called up when the selectors learned of Sarwan's injury.

Barbadian Campbell is one of only four players over 30 in the 15-member squad announced by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). His captain Carl Hooper is 35, wicket-keeper/batsman Ridley Jacobs, Campbell's successor as Hooper's deputy, is 34 and fast bowler Cameron Cuffy turns 32 on Feb. 8.

Cuffy is among a handful of players making their return after rehabilitation from injury. The 6-foot, 7-inch pacer was out for six months with a stress fracture of his left foot but now returns to boost the fast attack. Mervyn Dillon is back in favor after being sent home from the Sri Lanka tour for disciplinary reasons. The young Barbadian pair of Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins complete the quartet.

The spinning responsibility is handed to leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine, himself returning after a side strain forced him to miss the one-day series in Sri Lanka.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose 49 Tests are the third most behind Hooper's 90 and Campbell's 51, is welcomed back to lift the fragile batting. The 27-year-old left-hander missed the Sri Lankan tour with a back injury but is back to help fill the void left by Lara and Sarwan's absence.

Opening batsmen Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga maintain their spots despite modest returns in Sri Lanka, while Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds and Ryan Hinds are the other batting options.

Ryan Hinds and medium-pacer Darrel Brown are the only players in the 15-member squad without Test experience, both having made their senior debuts in the one-day series in Sri Lanka last December.

The first test is from Jan. 31 to Feb. 4 with the second test following on Feb. 7-11. The three one-day matches are Feb. 13, 15 and 17.

West Indies squad:

Carl Hooper (captain), Ridley Jacobs (vice-captain), Darrel Brown, Sherwin Campbell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Cameron Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ryan Hinds, Dinanath Ramnarine, Marlon Samuels. Manager: Ricky Skerritt. Coach: Roger Harper. Physio/trainer: Ronald Rogers.

 

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