Samuels bound for South Africa

Cleared to rejoin the West Indies squad following the typical West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) confusion over the state of his left knee, Marlon Samuels won't arrive here until tomorrow morning, only five hours before the tournament's opening match against home team South Africa. The 21-year-old Jamaican's return was ratified by the tournament's technical committee here yesterday on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) petition.

The committee was occupied over the last two days mainly with England's ultimately rejected application to have its first round match against Zimbabwe moved from Harare to South Africa.

Michael Holding, the former Jamaica and West Indies fast bowler who is a member of the committee, was not involved in the decision as he did not arrive in Cape Town in time for its meeting.

Withdrawn by selectors concerned about his injury, Samuels was replaced by left-handed all-rounder Ryan Hinds, the 21-year-old Barbadian who has risen through the ranks of West Indies, under-15, under-19 and "A" teams alongside Samuels.

Hinds will now return to the Caribbean to play for Barbados in the current domestic Carib Beer Series.

Team manager Ricky Skerritt said last night the earliest flight out of Cape Town he could find for Hinds was on Monday night.

He would arrive back home next Wednesday, in time for Barbados' match against Jamaica at the North Stars club in the northern parish. Ironically, it was a match in which Samuels would have turned out for Jamaica had the WICB application been rejected.

A WICB official said earlier this week that Hinds would be given the option to stay on as a non-playing member of the squad.

"No one has communicated that to me and no one has communicated that to him," Skerritt said.

"He's a cricketer and he's going home to play cricket. Why would he want to stay here and watch the World Cup?"

For all his natural talent, it is inconceivable that Samuels could be included in the 11 following the long, tiring journey from Jamaica, by way of London, that occupies a cumulative 20 hours flying time.

He would have ample time to be ready for the second match, against New Zealand in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth, next Thursday.