One spot left

London-There is only one possible place available in the West Indies team for next week's second Test, and it is open to claimants in the one and only remaining first-class match, against New Zealand 'A' over four days in Chelmsford, starting today.

Chris Gayle was preferred to Adrian Griffith as Sherwin Campbell's opening partner for the first Test and Ramnaresh Sarwan omitted to accommodate the return of Brian Lara. All are first-timers to England and have not yet adjusted to the different conditions.

They are included in today's XI and a substantial score by any one would present the selectors with a difficult choice come the Lord's Test tomorrow week.

Gayle, the tall, 20-year-old left-hander, looked out of his depth in the first Test when he was lbw off his eighth ball without scoring after surviving a chance to gully three balls earlier.

But the selectors will be loathe to discard him so quickly. It is his first tour of England, was his first chance to open in a Test, and he batted at a tricky time, late in the day on the first afternoon.

Griffith is also new to England and, like Gayle, has found difficulty against the moving ball.

He had played nine consecutive Tests prior to his omission at Edgbaston and his experience will be a factor in selection should he get runs and Gayle fail against the young New Zealanders, who have just started their tour of England.

The tour selectors agonised long and hard before leaving Sarwan out of the first Test.

Like everyone else, they recognise the 19-year-old right-hander's obvious potential that was emphasised by his unbeaten 84 against the powerful Pakistani attack in his debut Test innings.

He was left out because they did not want to upset the batting order by pushing Wavell Hinds up to open and shifting Shivnarine Chanderpaul back up to No. 3.

Events at Edgbaston, where Chanderpaul was comfortable and essential at No. 5, would have justified their position.

It would take only a significant performance by Sarwan to prompt a rethink.

Brian Lara, anxious for as much cricket as he can get after his lengthy break from the game, plays his fifth consecutive match on tour, as does captain Jimmy Adams.

Management let it be known from the start that Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh would be given as much rest between Tests as they required and, after sending down 74.5 overs between them in the first, they have been allowed the match off.

So too has Ridley Jacobs who has been overworked as the only specialist keeper over the past year-and-a-half to such an extent that the fatigue is telling on his batting.

Wayne Phillip, the Dominican wicket-keeper, sent by the West Indies Cricket Board to join the MCC staff during the summer so that he can fill in for Jacobs whenever needed, plays his third match.

Manager Ricky Skerritt said last night that it was 'too soon' for fast bowler Corey Collymore to play after the shoulder strain sustained in the match against Zimbabwe.

Jimmy Adams (captain), Chris Gayle, Adrian Griffith, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Franklyn Rose, Nixon McLean, Wayne Phillip and Reon King.