Lara Welcomed Back 'With Open Arms'

Vincentian pacer Nixon McLean and champion batsman Brian Lara have been named in the official 15-man West Indies squad for next year's world Cup, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced late Saturday.

The squad also sees the return of skipper Carl Hooper (coming off knee surgery) and pacer Merv Dillon (back) and the dropping of leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo as the selectors opted for six pacers but no spinners.

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Carl Hooper (captain)
Ridley Jacobs (vice captain)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Chris Gayle
Wavell Hinds
Brian Lara
Marlon Samuels
Ramnaresh Sarwan
Ricardo Powell
Pedro Collins
Corey Collymore
Mervyn Dillon
Vasbert Drakes
Jermaine Lawson
Nixon McLean

* Chairman of the selectors Viv Richards on the return of Lara:
"Having Brian back will be an added punch to what progress we might have achieved towards the end of the Asian tour and I think it is marvellous that he is back and we welcome him with open arms."

"It means we have some more depth in our batting and if we can get a few more things working, I think we have a great chance of going very far in the 2003 World Cup."

* Richards on McLean:
"You will also notice that McLean is back after not being the squad, most notably in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh this year, but he's had some experience of playing provincial cricket in South Africa.

"In general, I believe it is a team of 'horses for courses' because we have picked six fast bowlers knowing the kind of conditions that we may encounter in South Africa, where the pitches tend to offer plenty of bounce and movement."

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The West Indies squad leaves the Caribbean for the World Cup on January 28 after a two-week training camp in Antigua. They open the tournament against host South Africa at Cape Town on February 9.