Training Camp: All Eyes on Lara, Sarwan

Members of the 22-man West Indies training squad arrived here on Tuesday to begin preparations for the forthcoming Cable and Wireless Test and One-day series against India.

The squad will undergo a series of physical and mental stints, among them net sessions, personal development seminars and motivational lectures, during an eight-day camp, starting Thursday.

Newcomers Devon Smith, an opener, off-spinning all-rounder Gareth Breese and fast bowlers Adam Sanford and Darrell Powell will all be making bids to impress the selectors during the camp.

However, all eyes will be on former West Indies captain Brian Lara and Guyanese batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan will be subject to fitness and medical examinations prior to and during the camp. Lara and Sarwan are both coming off major injuries.

But unlike Sarwan, Lara, who fractured his elbow in December, is yet to play any competitive cricket since he incurred the injury.

Two former Test players, opening batsman Stuart Williams and wicketkeeper/batsman Junior Murray, will also be seeking to regain entry into the side for the five ODI and five-Test series.

Williams, a member of the 1999 World Cup team, played his last of 28 Tests against South Africa at Port Elizabeth four years ago.

The Leeward Islands captain has been recalled after a productive season in the Busta Cup series, in which he compiled 974 runs, including a top score of 252 not out against Guyana in the Busta International Shield semifinal.

Murray, who has not played since the tour of South Africa in 1998/99, struck four centuries in his 642 runs for the Windwards in the Busta series as well.

Manager Ricky Skerritt and coach Roger Harper arrived in Trinidad on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Skerritt and Harper supervised medical examinations on the 22 players carried out by the West Indies Cricket Board's medical man, Dr. Terry Ali.

West Indies training squad:

Carl Hooper (captain), Marlon Black, Gareth Breese, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Cameron Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Brian Lara, Runako Morton, Junior Murray, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Darrell Powell, Dinanath Ramnarine, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Adam Sanford and Stuart Williams.

* SOURCE: Guyana Chronicle.