UP FOR GRABS: West Indies skipper Brian Lara (left) and England counterpart, Michael Vaughan, pose with the coveted Wisden Trophy at a press conference to launch the 2004 Cable & Wireless Test series at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday. (Photo: Michael Gordon)

The West Indies yesterday cut left-arm wrist spinner, Dave Mohammed, from their squad of 13 for the opening cricket Test against England, starting at Sabina Park on Thursday, making it clear they will be depending on a four-pronged pace attack.

Mohammed was cut from the training squad of 16 that attended the four-day preparatory camp that ended Sunday.
Fast bowler, Dwight Washington, and Carlton Baugh, both from Jamaica, are the other players left out.

It leaves the inexperienced quartet of Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore, Adam Sanford and Tino Best as the bowling line-up for the opener of the Cable & Wireless series.

The four have a total of 24 Tests and 77 wickets behind them.
West Indies coach, Gus Logie, appeared to suggest that the omission of Washington, who turned 21 last Friday, had nothing to do with news stories yesterday that he had been reported for a suspect action.

"I have no knowledge of that (report on Washington's action) at this point in time," Logie told journalists at a press conference launching the 2004 series at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.

Some media reports yesterday said Washington was reported recently during the Carib Beer regional first-class season. The final between league champions, Barbados, and Jamaica is set for late March.

But a reliable West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) source told the Observer yesterday that Washington had in fact been cleared by the West Indies bowling panel, which includes former Test players, Colin Croft, David Holford and Bryan Davis.

The tall, strongly-built Washington, who has attracted attention because of his ability to bowl a consistent line and length while generating bounce at good pace, picked up 20 wickets in seven games for the West Indies 'B' this year, for an average of 22 each.

West Indies captain, Brian Lara, speaking at a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday. (Photo: Michael Gordon)

Batsmen, Ricardo Powell and Ryan Hinds, were both retained in the Test 13, but are unlikely to make the final 11 ahead of the explosive young Barbadian, Dwayne Smith, who smashed a brilliant century on debut in South Africa recently.

Logie confirmed yesterday that Hinds' useful left-arm finger spin boosts his chances.

Devon Smith returns to the team after a tournament-high 842 runs and four centuries in the Carib Beer series. The Grenadian, who played four Tests against Australia a year ago, will open the batting with fellow left-hander, Chris Gayle.

And West Indies captain and master batsman, Brian Lara, told journalists that losing the Wisden Trophy in England four years ago will serve as motivation for his team.

But English captain, Michael Vaughan, said his team was intent on setting history and breaking a 36-year winless streak in the Caribbean.

In 2000, England won the series, 3-1, to regain hold of the prestigious Wisden Trophy for the first time since 1973.

"Losing to England, whom we all know is our biggest rival in international sport, was a bitter moment not only for myself, but all the members of the team," Lara said. "It's a series that we all look back on and feel disappointment still today. The Wisden Trophy is in England's hands and we would like to get it back."

Although England holds the trophy, the team has not been able to break a lengthy winless streak on Caribbean soil. Colin Cowdrey's 1968 tourists were the last to win in the region with a narrow 1-0 win in a five-Test rubber.

Vaughan, 29, said his team's inexperience could be an advantage in their quest to end the drought.

"First and foremost, 36 years ago none of my players was born," Vaughan said. "When you come with a new set of players, you have no cobwebs. We're here to try and set our own history."

The West Indies are coming off another losing overseas tour, where they lost, 3-0, to South Africa in the four-Test series and 3-1 in the one-dayers. But the team's record in the Caribbean remains impressive.

"It's been the trend where we travel abroad and have done badly and resume cricket back home two or three weeks later and you see a different outfit," Lara said.

The 34-year-old Trinidadian said this series has special meaning for him and said it would be his last against England on Caribbean soil.

"I think it might be my last series against England at home," he said. "Most importantly, the Wisden Trophy is not in our hands and we are going to be fighting to get it back."
But the West Indies captain also voiced his respect for the tourists, noting that they are now "travelling" better than in years past.

And in response to questions about the burden on him personally, Lara - the former world record-holder for most runs in Test cricket - said: "The pressure on me to score runs for the team has eased off over the years...

"There are a lot of young players coming through now like (Ramnaresh) Sarwan and (Chris) Gayle..., and (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul has matured into a top-class player that we always thought he could be.

"They have come forward and done well against South Africa. We scored several centuries in that series and that hasn't been the case for a long time."

Concurring with most analysts, Lara said, "Our problems could lie with the ball. We haven't been able to get the opposition out twice, either away from home in South Africa or at home against Australia.

"But we're working very hard on that and our fielding and I hope it's going to be a good all-round effort by our team in this series."

West Indies Squad: Brian Lara (captain), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Smith, Ridley Jacobs, Tino Best, Adam Sanford, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Ricardo Powell, Ryan Hinds.

Coach: Gus Logie

Manager: Ricky Skerritt

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