The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
West Indies captain Brian Lara spoke with the media at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday afternoon before the team's final practice session prior to Sunday's encounter with Zimbabwe in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Following are excerpts from the pre-game media briefing.
Trinidad & Tobago right-hander Lendl Simmons is the lone newcomer in the West Indies team named for the upcoming tour of Pakistan.
Simmons, 21, was included in a 15-man squad that also features the return of Omari Banks and Darren Powell to senior team duty. The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) also named a seven-man squad to play in the Hong Kong Sixes tournament.
The Trelawny Cricket Association in Jamaica will be hosting a 20/20 Curry Goat cricket classic from March 7?12, 2007 as part of the activities leading up to World Cup 2007.
The association said the tournament is aimed at providing guests of Trelawny and Jamaica during World Cup 2007 with cricket and entertainment with a local community atmosphere where they can enjoy the local cuisine (curry goat, manish water, etc.) and experience the rural-style cricket atmosphere in Jamaica.
Clive Lloyd is joining Bennett King's management team for the ICC Champions Trophy.
Following consultations with the King and captain Brian Lara, the WICB said it asked the former West Indies skipper to join squad in India to "assist in any way which will build morale, strengthen the team's performance and encourage a stronger culture of professionalism and discipline."
The City of Lauderhill in Florida has commenced a sister city relationship with Falmouth, Jamaica to use the newly constructed stadium in Trelawny to promote cricket in Jamaica and the USA.
The new partnership kicks off with the very first match at the Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium on Saturday, September 30 with the first annual Air Jamaica Cup.