Lara out of final squad

When the West Indies cricket team takes to the field next week Thursday at Bourda Oval in Georgetown Guyana, one of the world’s top drawing cards will be missing from action.

Brian Lara, noted for ingenuity and controversy, was ruled out by the West Indies Cricket board. {{more}}

Shivnarine Chanderpaul will lead the squad. Barbadian Courtney Browne, one of the architects of the West Indies win in the ICC Champions trophy last September is vice captain. Wavell Hinds, Devon Smith, Donovan Pagon, Narsingh Deonarine, Daren Ganga, Ryan Hinds, Corey Collymore, Pedro Collins, Dwight Washington, Daren Powell, Jerome Taylor and Reon King complete the party.

Lara’s omission came in an eleventh hour development. Lara sought consideration for selection of six other players to the team including Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Fidel Edwards, and Dwayne Bravo.

The conflict over selection of the team surrounded contracts signed by those six players.