'I Want to Crack into Test XI' - Ganga

The captain of Trinidad's cricket team spoke optimistically Friday of making the West Indies starting lineup in the upcoming Bangladesh tour of two test matches and three-one day internationals.

Darren Ganga will fly Saturday to Bangladesh for the tour from next Friday until Dec. 20. "I would like to break into the starting 11 quite naturally," he said. "It won't be easy as the players at the top of the order have been doing quite well."

The right-handed opening batsman feels confident about his fitness level compared to a few weeks ago when he was touring with the team in India. "I didn't play much cricket while in India, and as a result my fitness might have suffered a bit," Ganga said.

"But since I have been back home I have been doing quite a bit of gym work and my endurance is quite good now, so I expect to do well."

Ganga went to India as a replacement for star batsman Brian Lara, who was hospitalized with suspected hepatitis during the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy tournament in Sri Lanka in September. Lara was back in action on Friday, but playing golf instead of cricket.

Lara was in the field of 128 men and women for the 18-hole annual United Insurance Barbados Open at
the par-72 Royal Westmoreland course.

It was his first public appearance in a sporting event since he was hospitalized. Lara is expected to fly to London shortly for a medical revision and hopes doctors will clear him to resume training.
If cleared, Lara hopes to feature prominently in Trinidad and Tobago's challenge for the regional title next year and to be ready for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, which begins Feb. 9.

Once again, Ganga will be a replacement player in Bangladesh, this time for Windies injured skipper Carl Hooper, who will have knee surgery.

* Culled from newswire reports.