Ricardo Powell recalled for West Indies

Hard-hitting Jamaican batsman Ricardo Powell has been recalled to the West Indies line-up for the Carlton Series one-day triangular against Australia and Zimbabwe beginning on January 11.

Powell, whose 717 runs in 34 one-day internationals have come at a strikerate of just under 101 runs per 100 balls, is one of three players to be included in a squad which is being reduced in number from 16 to 15 at the conclusion of the Test series.

Laurie Williams, the 32 year-old all-rounder from Jamaica, is perhaps a surprise choice, his appearance for the West Indies in the ICC KnockOut in October being his first international in almost three years out of a career total of seven ODI's. Twenty-two year-old Leeward Islands batsman Sylvester Joseph is also included after having made his second one-day international appearance in the ICC KnockOut.

Four players will be on their way home after the Fifth Test concludes in Sydney on (or before) January 6. As expected, Courtney Walsh will not be playing in the one-day internationals, which leaves open for now the suggestion that the Sydney Test will be his final hurrah for the West Indies.

Courtney Browne has also been released, the West Indians relying on Ridley Jacobs as their sole specialist wicketkeeper. Paceman Kerry Jeremy, whose tour was cast on the rocks after his jaw was broken while batting in an early tour game against Western Australia, will also return to the West Indies.

The biggest surprise among the four players to be sent home at the end of the Test tour is that of Ramnaresh Sarwan. Despite all the pre-tour wraps and his obvious class, Sarwan has had an unhappy tour of Australia, which at one stage included four consecutive ducks, two of them coming in the First Test.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul will return to the West Indies later this week after having surgery on a stress fracture in his foot. His replacement on tour, Marlon Samuels, will continue with the one-day squad. Samuels impressed with his all-round ability in the Adelaide Test which concluded today.

The West Indies squad for the Carlton Series is: Jimmy Adams (capt), Sherwin Campbell, Daren Ganga, Brian Lara, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Sylvester Joseph, Ridley Jacobs, Laurie Williams, Mervyn Dillon, Nixon McLean, Marlon Black, Ricardo Powell, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Colin Stuart.