"I don't think I'll be fit enough to play any Busta games."
Those words from Ramnaresh Sarwan will cause West Indies captain
Carl Hooper and coach Roger Harper some worry on the morning of
April 11 when they have to select the final XI for the first Test
at Bourda against India.
In an exclusive interview with CaribbeanCricket.com, the
West Indies middle order batsman said his physiotherapist does not
want to risk him playing in the Busta Cup series as this could
jeopardize his chances of being match ready for the first Test on
his home ground.
Former president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Pat
Rousseau has expressed his concern about the region's readiness to
host the 2007 World Cup tournament.
Speaking on a BBC Caribbean Sports programme, Rousseau said the
region can lose the franchise for staging the world's most
prestigious cricket event because "the ICC (International Cricket
Council) has the power to take away the event from the West
Indies."
All day Mash day (Guyana?s Republic celebrations ? Feb 23rd) I
pained my body dodging gyrating derrieres, swiveling hips and a
couple of floats as I snapped away at anything with more than two
colours and glitters. Hunger crept up on me like the American
special forces crept up on Afghan fighters in the dead of night.
As sunset approached, I inched my way through the thousands of beer
guzzling Guyanese down to KFC on Vlissengen Road in search of some
deep fried marinated-with-the-Colonel?s- special- spices chicken.
Bup! Right at the drive through exit I almost walked into a gang of
very light skinned, just turned teenagers gathered around a guy
sipping on some dark stuff from a "twenty-for-hundred- dolla" extra
large disposable glass.
Fresh from a convincing win over the Windies 'B' selection,
Jamaica took a commanding lead (51 points) atop the Busta Cup
standings, a full 12 points ahead of runners-up Leeward Islands.
After fifth round matches finished Monday, Guyana (36 points) moved
from fifth to third in the standings following their close full
points win over Trinidad & Tobago. The Trinidadians, suffering
their first defeat of the championship, drop to fourth, on 33
points.
West Indies champion batsman Brian Lara will miss the entire
Busta Cup competition and most likely miss the first Test against
the visiting Indians, which is scheduled for April 11.
According to media reports, Lara is unlikely to pick up a bat for
at least another month and does not expect to play any domestic
Busta Cup matches for Trinidad and Tobago this season.
