Windies Turn to Jacobs

When all else fails, look to old faithful. That appears to be the mantra of the West Indies team heading into the crucial third ODI against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.

The tour selectors announced the inclusion of veteran wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs to take the place of understudy Carlton Baugh in a 12-man squad for the third game. Pacer Ravi Rampaul has also been omitted while Fidel Edwards and Merv Dillon have been included.

Baugh is on the tour to spell Jacobs for the tour matches and one-dayers but, with the batting meltdown in the second ODI, the stabilising presence of Jacobs has been added to the line-up.

Rampaul, the teenage fast bowler who debuted in the opening ODI, has also been left out after some minor struggles. It is not clear if he was omitted based on form or if was part of the stated plan to rotate the fast bowlers.

Fidel Edwards, who is yet to play a one-day game on tour, is also in the 12-man squad.

A worry for the West Indies is the status of Jerome Taylor, the young Jamaican pacer who suffered a back injury during the first Test. Although Taylor has been passed a "clinically fit," a team source said his lack of vigorous physical activity for the past three weeks has rendered him unavailable for selection in the ODIs.

THIRD ODI SQUAD: Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (Vice captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ricardo Powell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon and Fidel Edwards.