Dillon, Banks, Samuels Out

The West Indies will go into the first Test against Zimbabwe Tuesday with one of its most inexperienced four-pronged pace attack in living memory.

With Merv Dillon sidelined with a shoulder strain, the selectors opted for a pace attack led by Vasbert Drakes and Corey Collymore -- two bowlers with a combined 10 Tests (38 wickets) between them. Jerome Taylor (2 Tests, 2 wickets) and Fidel Edwards (1 Test, 6 wickets) round out the bowling attack.

Off-spinning all-rounder Omari Banks, felled by a stomach ailment since arriving in Zimbabwe, has also been left out.

The other minor surprise in the first Test eleven is the absence of middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels, who is coming off a terrific opening tour match against Zimbabwe 'A'. Samuels stroked a classy unbeaten 147 to go along with 66 not out in the first innings but he could not crack into the first Test team.

Samuels bad fortune is music to the ears of Wavell Hinds. The Jamican opener has been out of form in the Red Stripe Bowl competition that preceded the tour and failed in both innings against Zimbabwe 'A'.

There was speculation that Daren Ganga, who got a century against Zimbabwe 'A', would open the batting to make space for Samuels but the selectors opted to stick with the Hinds/Gayle opening tandem.

FIRST TEST ELEVEN:

Brian Lara (Captain)
Chris Gayle
Wavell Hinds
Darren Ganga
Ramnaresh Sarwan (Vice-captain)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Ridley Jacobs
Vasbert Drakes
Jerome Taylor
Corey Collymore
Fidel Edwards