The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
There are no West Indians in the International Cricket Council's World Test Team of the Year announced today.
The side, picked by a selection panel chaired by Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar, includes players for six Test teams but the Caribbean side is noticeably blank this year. Brian Lara was a member of last year's team.
In-form West Indies opener Chris Gayle says the regional side has "unfinished business" to take care of in the final of ICC Champions Trophy against Australia.
The left-hander, who has scored back-to-back centuries in the tournament, spoke with the media after his sizzling unbeaten hundred against South Africa in Jaipur. Following are excerpts of his responses:
Former West Indies captain Sir Vivian Richards has been named a National Hero in his native Antigua and Barbuda.
Richards, who played in 121 Test matches for the Caribbean side, received the honour during celebrations for Antigua and Barbuda's 25th anniversary of independence.
Jamaican middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels will replace Dwayne Smith in the West Indies team for the Hong Kong Sixes International Tournament at the Kowloon Cricket Club next weekend, according to a CMC news report.
"Marlon will take the place of Dwayne. The physio has recommended that Dwayne has a bit of rest. Both will be key players in the lead-up to the 2007 Cricket World Cup, and we will want to have both very fresh," said team manager Zorol Barthley.
West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle spoke with the media after the team?s training session in Jaipur on Tuesday.
Among other things, the left-hander said the long tour -- which included a tri-nation series in Malaysia and ICC Trophy qualifiers -- helped the team get better and better. "We are playing a lot of cricket and the more cricket we play, the better for us, he said.
Following are some of Gayle's responses: