Selectors snub Lara’s plea for genuine quickie

ST. KITTS: Skipper Brian Lara's wish for a genuine fast bowler was ignored by the West Indies selectors who named an unchanged pace attack for the next two cricket Tests against India.

The selectors made only one change in the 13-member squad, bringing back Marlon Samuels in place of left-arm spinner Dave Mohammad, according to a press release by the West Indies Cricket Board.

However, they chose to persist with the same set of five fast bowlers -- Jerome Taylor, Pedro Collins, Ian Bradshaw, Corey Collymore and Dwayne Bravo -- who were caned by the Indian batsmen in the first two drawn matches.

Lara had said his side was missing bowlers like Tino Best and Jermaine Lawson against the prolific Indian batsmen.

"I want somebody bowling at 90mph-plus. Fidel Edwards got injured but we have a couple of guys in Tino Best and Jermaine Lawson," he had said after his side barely managed to save the second Test at St. Lucia.

Samuels and Runako Morton could be asked to partner Chris Gayle in the opener's slot instead of Daren Ganga, who has been struggling in that position with scores of 9, 36, 16, 26 in the four innings so far.

The third Test begins here on June 22 while the fourth and last match is slated to be played in Jamaica from June 30.

Squad: Brian Lara (capt), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Runako Morton, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Ian Bradshaw, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Jerome Taylor.