Snippets & Tidbits

1-0-1-0 -- Shivnarine Chanderpaul's sudden pullout from the second Test match in Trinidad has set tongues wagging around the Caribbean after news leaked out that the left-hander was passed fit to play by the medical staff.

Radio commentators and travelling writer Peter Roebuck went as far as suggesting Chanderpaul was upset that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) did not make arrangements for his wife to travel to Trinidad for the game but a senior team official dismissed those conspiracy theories.

Team manager Ricky Skerritt told CaribbeanCricket.com Chanderpaul is suffering through a mild strain of a collateral ligament on the left knee. "It is an old injury aggravated, nothing to do with the blow he received (in the first Test)," Skerritt said.

He confirmed Chanderpaul was passed fit on the morning of the match because the medical staff was of the view the injury could be managed during the Test but Chanderpaul decided to pull out because he was experiencing severe pain.

"We put him through a stress test the morning of the Test and he expressed too much discomfort. The test was carried out by our trainer, Ronald (Rogers) in collaboration with our Trinidad Physio, Lisa Niles," Skerritt added.

To put to rest the wild rumours about Chanderpaul being unhappy that the WICB would not pay for his wife's ticket, Skerritt said simply: "Shiv's wife is with him in Trinidad. WICB has never paid for any costs related to spouses at any time in West Indies cricket history."

1-0-1-0 -- Looking to battle his way back into the West Indies side, Guyana fast bowler Reon King is due to depart for England on Tuesday evening to play league cricket in Durham.

Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) spokesman Terry Holder told CaribbeanCricket.com King has been contracted to play in the North East League in Durham, which is separate from the Durham first class county side.

The authorities at the University of the West Indies (UWI) were hoping to get King to play for its Vice Chancellor's XI in the upcoming game against the Aussies but were notified that the fast bowler had already made plans to leave for the U.K.

In 14 Tests for the West Indies between 1999 and 2001, King has taken 44 wickets at 27.77 per but he has struggled recently with a series of niggling injuries .

1-0-1-0 -- Almost a year after dismissing Gregory Shillingford as its CEO, the decision could come back to haunt the cash-strapped WICB.

Shillingford, who pocketed an "ex-gratia" payment of approximately US$100,000 from the board when he was fired last July, has slapped the WICB with a lawsuit for another US$120,000 to cover unpaid "legal entitlements".

The case comes up for a hearing in Antigua on May 12. In the lawsuit, Shillingford is seeking unpaid entitlements to cover relocation (he was recruited from his native Dominica), outstanding leave, baggage allowances, provident fund contributions, among others.