Given the presence of Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper, it was a big call but Michael Holding's assertion on television that Ramaresh Sarwan is presently the West Indies' best batsman stands up to statistical scrutiny

JOHANNESBURG - Two years after he joined Richie Richardson, Courtney Walsh and Brian Lara in the West Indies' captaincy out tray, Jimmy Adams in enthused over the progress of the young batsmen who first appeared under his leadership

JOHANNESBURG - The West Indies' serious World Cup intentions were made plain last night when they maintained the same XI they used in the triumphant opener against second favourites South Africa for today's match in Centurion against the weekend club

A fumbled catch, a sensational run-out, a few reckless strokes, an abandoned match and, suddenly, the euphoria of the West Indies' opening World Cup victory over South Africa has turned to apprehension over whether they can get past the preliminary

On the first match-free day of the World Cup, South Africans were yesterday left to contemplate the unthinkable - their team being on the verge of first-round elimination

PORT ELIZABETH - A reversion to the old, annoying carelessness they had seemingly expunged cost West Indies a guaranteed place in the World Cup's Super Six round yesterday and presented New Zealand with a lifeline to remain in the tournament

Carl Hooper is sticking by the old adage that if it's working, don't fix it

Inspired by an innings of 116 by Brian Lara that immediately re-established his place among the greats of the modern game, the West Indies revival, so unmistakably initiated in his absence in India three months ago, was confirmed here yesterday

An International Cricket Council (ICC) official hinted last night that a West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) request to have Marlon Samuels reinstated in the team for the imminent World Cup could be ratified

Disregarding strong West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) advice, Marlon Samuels journeyed to Anguilla yesterday with the Jamaica team for the opening match of the Carib Beer Series against the Leeward Islands, starting tomorrow

The Aussies are worried about the worsening crime situation in Guyana

THE initial reaction on looking back at my original assessment of the inaugural World Cup was to cringe at its hyperbole

THE International Cricket Council (ICC), and two of its member boards, have dealt with two intricate and unexpected problems this past week with a boldness and conviction not normally associated with those who administer the game

A profile of the Jamaican batsman Chris Gayle, whose powerful stroke-play and sense of fun have become crucial to the West Indian dressing-room

West Indies selectors have preferred the promise of the future rather than the experience of the past in the five players they named yesterday as back-ups for their already chosen World Cup squad of 15

Brian Lara was included in the West Indies' World Cup 15 only after he was given the medical all-clear by a London specialist last week following three months' recuperation from the illness that struck him down during the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has delivered an unmistakeable vote of no confidence in West Indian umpires by the exclusion of Billy Doctrove and Eddie Nicholls from the 11 members of its international panel chosen to augment its full-time

Jermaine Lawson widely acknowledges a couple of things about his sensational 15-ball burst of six wickets for no run that finished off Bangladesh in the first Test here Tuesday

In a significant indicator to the future, Wavell Hinds has been named West Indies' vice-captain on its current tour of Bangladesh

When Ramnaresh Sarwan steered a ball from left-arm spinner Enamul Haque to short third man and sprinted through for the single that carried him to his first, long-delayed Test hundred at the Bangabandhu Stadium yesterday, several thoughts obviously