Lewis, who played five Tests for West Indies, announced that he will make himself available for selection for Windwards but not in the capacity of captain. "I remain committed to Windward Islands cricket and would play on once I am selected," he said.
The BBC's Oliver Brett is looking at West Indies cricket after the 2007 World Cup, and what he sees is not very encouraging. Citing comments from Tony Becca he paints a picture of a cricket culture in decline and a managing board with no means to reverse the decline.
"Sponsors are pulling out of West Indian cricket at every level, and the team itself is struggling to bed in newcomers who are not well equipped for the demands of international cricket, " he writes, and adds, "with the WICB now having to meet the costs of these tournaments from its own funds, it is little wonder that cricket is essentially an amateur sport at regional level".
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo's injured ankle won't be healed enough for him to play in the upcoming Test series against England. "I spoke to Dwayne last week," Clyde Butts, the chairman of selectors, said. "He's started to train about now, and is hoping to be ready about the middle part of the England tour.
It is hoped he will return to action for the one-dayers towards the end of March. "He wants to start playing club cricket before he starts playing for Trinidad and Tobago, so he can be fit and ready. Probably, we might see him in the ODIs," Butts added.
As we prepare for another visit by the English, here's an excellent photo essay from the BBC going back through the higlights of previous tours. It starts in 1981 with the Robin Jackman affair and fast forwards through some classic memories (Gatting's broken nose in '86, the 46 all-out in in 1994 and, of course, Lara's two world records).
Dale Richards is “happy and excited” to be selected in the West Indies team for the first time. The 32-year-old right-handed opening batsman is the only newcomer in the 14-man West Indies team for the first Test match against England at Sabina Park, Jamaica on February 4-8.
“I was pretty happy and excited when I got the news on Friday. I have been doing well for Barbados since the start of the season [West Indies Cricket Board’s Four-day Competition], so I had my fingers crossed,” he said.
