West Indies in England: Party of 18

The West Indies cricket selectors have been given the go-ahead to boost its squad to 18 for the triangular limited-overs series during the England tour.

The additions to the squad, for a series in which the team will play a maximum of five matches, comes in spite of the fact that the selectors were twice denied their services of a 17th player for the tour.

It was originally anticipated that the squad for the One-Day matches would also have been limited to 16, but the selectors would have been able to make changes, as was the case on the 1998-99 tour of South Africa.

Chief selector Mike Findlay, however, said yesterday there was a reason why the entire 16 in England for the Tests had to be retained for the One-Days.

'Because of contractual arrangements with the West Indies Players Association, the players who are on the 16-man squad are now on a contract which covers both the One-Day and Test matches,' Findlay said on Starcom's 92.9 Sports Everywhere afternoon programme.

The final negotiations for the tour took place after the squad was announced.

'The board has said to us that you can have two additional players,' Findlay added.

The triangular series, which also involves England and Zimbabwe, comes after the West Indies have completed two of the five Tests.

West Indies' opening limited-overs match is a day-night fixture against Zimbabwe on July 6.

Teams will play each other twice, leading to the final at Lord's on July 22.