The Barbados cricket selectors have named two separate squads to prepare for the opening round of matches in the 2007 regional first class season.
According to a CMC Sports report, Barbados chief selector Joel Garner announced a 15-man squad for the Carib Beer four-day match against Trinidad and Tobago on January 4-7. He also named 16 players for the one-day match against the same opponents on January 9.
Georgetown Cricket Club all-rounder Neil Mc Garrell has been surprisingly dropped from Guyana's 14-man squad for the upcoming regional Carib Cup and KFC Cup competitions scheduled to start on January 4.
The 34-year old former West Indies player, who has taken 276 first-class wickets, is one of many other notable omissions from the squad, which will be captained for the first time by Narsingh Deonarine.
St. Elizabeth wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Powell has been named in Jamaica's 18-man squad for the Carib Beer Series and KFC Cup tournaments.
The team, which will be captained by Wavell Hinds, also includes West Indies players Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Darren Powell and Carlton Baugh.
West Indian all-rounder Chris Gayle has slipped to third place in the latest LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen after a disappointing one-day series against Pakistan.
Gayle had moved up to second off the back of an excellent ICC Champions Trophy in India in October/November but the series in Pakistan was less fruitful for the 27-year-old left-handed Jamaican.
West Indies captain Brian Lara commented on the One Day series against Pakistan and the overall tour to the sub continent after the final One Day International in Karachi. Following are excerpts from his comments:
His assessment of the One Day Series:
We did not end on a very good note. We were missing key players and it was important that whichever 11 we put out on the middle that we gave of our best and try to win the series. I think the guys did give of their best, it was tough and you have to take into consideration that we have been on the road for a pretty long time.
