Browne in West Indies `B' squad

OUT of favour with the Barbados selectors, Patrick Browne has gained the nod of the regional selectors.

The 21-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman was originally not recommended by the local panel among seven nominees for the West Indies "B" team, but was named yesterday in the 13-man squad for their opening match against India "A".

Browne, who represented West Indies "B" for the entire season last year, is one of three Barbadians in the squad that will be captained by Shane Jeffers of the Leeward Islands.

The others are 17-year-old opening batsman Martin Nurse, who played two matches for Barbados last year, and uncapped fast bowler Jason Bennett.

Bennett, who spent most of the last two years in England on a cricket scholarship at King's School, was attached to the Leicestershire Second XI towards the end of the last English county season.

The selectors found no room for left-arm spinner Anderson Sealy, the leading wicket-taker for the West Indies "B" team last year nor his fellow Barbadian, off-spinner Ryan Austin, who was in and out the national team in the previous two seasons.

Squad: Shane Jeffers (captain), Lionel Barker (Leeward Islands); Patrick Browne, Martin Nurse, Jason Bennett (Barbados); Narsingh Deonarine, Rayon Thomas (Guyana); Carlton Baugh, Andrew Richardson (Jamaica); Denzil James, Gregory Mahabir, Amit Jaggernauth, Aneil Kanhai (Trinidad and Tobago). Manager: Alfred Bynoe (St Vincent and the Grenadines). Coach: Roddy Estwick (Barbados).