The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
There was continuing uncertainty last night as to whether middle-order batsman, Marlon Samuels, would be available for Jamaica's Carib Beer clash against the Windward Islands, which starts Friday at Sabina Park.
But a sure thing was that opener, Leon Garrick, will miss the game after allegedly breaking team rules in Jamaica's drawn first round game against the Leeward Islands in Anguilla which ended Monday.
Jamaican physician Dr. Akshai Mansingh, a member of the West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) medical panel found himself in the eye of the storm surrounding the cutting of Marlon Samuels from the World Cup squad.
It was Dr. Mansingh's recommendations in a medical report, the WICB explained, that forced the selectors to make the decision to drop the batsman and replace him with Ryan Hinds for the World Cup. In this interview with CaribbeanCricket.com editor-in-chief Ryan Naraine, Dr. Mansingh talks about his involvement in the Marlon Samuels episode... (Update: Adds Dr Mansingh's press release at the end of the interview).
Contrary to reports circulating around the Caribbean, there has been no decision yet by the ICC on the West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) request to have Marlon Samuels rejoin the World Cup team.
In fact, the International Cricket Council has scheduled a hearing for Friday to deliberate on the WICB request to allow the reinstatement Samuels.
Jamaican middle-order batsman, Marlon Samuels, has come to the defence of the personality of West Indies batting star, Brian Lara.
"Lara is a big supporter to me, he's a wonderful person ... a nice guy, no matter what people say," Samuels declared yesterday during an interview with the director of Sports at the RJR Group, Simon Croskill, on Radio Two FM.
Each week, I plan to select a team at the end of each round of competition in the Carib Cup Series. It is an attempt to highlight the best performers for each round. I will name a team of eleven, and five reserves.
The eleven will reflect at least six batsmen, a wicket-keeper and four bowlers. The reserves will consist of at least two batsmen and at least two bowlers. All-rounders can qualify as both batsman and bowlers in the selection of the first team and the reserves.