West Indies announce unchanged squad

Brian Lara inspects the Sabina Park pitch © AFP

Despite Brian Lara's plea for an extra fast bowler, the West Indies selectors have made no changes to the team for the final Test at Jamaica beginning tomorrow. West Indies, in fact, have gone with an unchanged squad for the last two Tests.

John Carew, the convenor of selectors, hoped for a win against India, to end the season on a positive note. "We are definitely on the upgrade and will be looking to end the season with a win against the Indians at Sabina Park," Carew told Press Trust of India.

"The last seven years have brought about positive results from the Sabina track, and I will be hoping that this will continue in the final match, with the West Indies being on the victorious end," he said.

Before the announcement of the squad Brian Lara had said that there was a lot of confidence for the team to be gained from St Kitts Test, but had also hinted in no uncertain terms about the need for an additional quick. "But we played an extra batsman - that meant we were less a bowler - and I'll say it again, if you want to get 20 wickets, you must pick the players that can get them." With Bennett King, the coach, being part of the selection panel, Lara would have hoped that he would be tossing the ball to Jermaine Lawson or Tino Best to open the bowling at Sabina Park.

West Indies had scored 581 in the first innings of the St Kitts Test and bowled India out for 20 runs short of follow-on, but did not enforce the follow-on, owing mostly to bowler-fatigue. India did attempt chasing the West Indies' set target of 392, but it was mostly given up after Virender Sehwag lost his wicket with 283 more runs still needed for a lead in the series.

West Indies and India have played all three Tests out for a draw, so Jamaica will see both the teams going for a win to seal the series.

Squad: Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Runako Morton, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Ian Bradshaw, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Jerome Taylor.