Sarwan 10th teen to earn Windies cap

Ramnaresh Sarwan becomes the tenth West Indian Test teenaged cricketer when he takes the field in the second Test against Pakistan at Kensington Oval today. He was last night chosen to make his debut 37 days short of his 20th birthday on June 23.

The dashing Guyanese right-handed batsman replaces the 20-year-old Jamaican left-hander Chris Gayle, who played in the two Tests against Zimbabwe in the preceding series and the first against Pakistan in Guyana.

Sarwan has been groomed for this day since he became the youngest West Indies first-class cricketer, aged 15 years, 226 days, appearing for Guyana against Barbados in the 1994 Red Stripe Cup.

He has represented the West Indies youth team against Pakistan in the Caribbean and the `A' team on tours of South Africa and Bangladesh and India as well as in the Caribbean.

He earned his place after a hundred in each innings for the President's XI against the touring Zimbabweans in March and scores of 32 and 75 for the `A' team against the Pakistanis at Kensington last weekend.

He joins Derek Sealy and Sir Garry Sobers (17), Robin Bynoe (18), Jeffrey Stollmeyer, Alfie Roberts, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Alfred Scott, Gerry Gomez and Elquemedo Willett (19) included in the final 11 as West Indians who have gained Test selection in their teens.