Jamaican middle order batsman Marlon Samuels, who was
almost sent home for disciplinary infractions in India, has
been named in the final eleven for the third Test which begins
tonight in Kolkata.
CaribbeanCricket.com has learnt that Samuels was named in the final
XI to replace the out-of-form Ryan Hinds in the middle order. Pacer
Daren Powell will also make his first appearance on the tour,
coming in for the injured Pedro Collins. The other change to the
side that lost the second Test sees pacer Cameron Cuffy replacing
off-spinner Gareth Breese as Carl Hooper and the selectors opted
not to include a spinner for the final Test.
Scouting is an integral part of any development formula and
building strategy. It is essential in locating outstanding talent
at its earliest and guiding that talent to the coaching facilities
necessary to hone those raw skills.
Of course, not all talent pans out but you stand a better chance of
minimizing self destruction by corralling it early. There are two
types of scouts in any system in my opinion: the primary scout for
locating talent and the advance scout for pre-test reports.
India and West Indies have played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on
seven occasions. West Indies won three, lost one and drew three
matches. The last time the two sides met in 1987-88, Viv Richards'
side drew with Vengsarkar's side. West Indies made 530-5 declared
with three hundreds from Greenidge, Logie and Hooper.
Calcutta, as it was then known, was also the scene of Rohan
Kanhai's maiden Test century, an explosive 256 runs (then the
highest score on Indian soil and only recently bettered by Laxman's
281 v Australia in 2000) as West Indies piled up 614-5 dec with
hundreds from Sobers and Butcher in the 1958-59 series. WI won by
an innings and 336 runs, the third highest winning margin by an
inning.
Former West Indies youth captain Dudnath Ramkessoon has emerged
as the leading contender to replace veteran administrator Alloy
Lequay, as president and chief executive officer of the Trinidad
and Tobago Cricket Board of Control.
Lequay indicated to the members of the TTCBC at last Saturday's
annual general meeting that he will not seek further re-election
when this present term ends in October, 2003. At Saturday's
meeting, Lequay called on members to look for a suitable and able
replacement.
The West Indies team management in India voted to send Marlon
Samuels back to the Caribbean for disciplinary infractions but the
personal intervention of WICB president Wes Hall saved Samuels from
banishment, according to information reaching CaribbeanCricket.com.
According to well-placed sources, the Jamaican middle order batsman
who is yet to play in a Test on tour, was breaking curfew and
hitting the night spots in India and was hauled before the
management committee and told to pack his bags.
