Murray
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC
GRENADA'S three West Indies cricketers have all been named in a Windward Islands training squad ahead of the West Indies limited-overs cricket championship to be contested next month. Concerns had been raised about the participation of opening batsman Devon Smith, wicketkeeper/batsman Junior Murray, leg-spin all-rounder Rawl Lewis after the devastation wrought on Grenada by Hurricane Ivan.
Smith, Murray and Lewis, however, have been listed among two-dozen players who are taking part in three limited-overs practice matches that started with the first yesterday, the second today and final one tomorrow at Arnos Vale to select Windwards squad for the Championship.
The Windward Islands Cricket Association noted that St. Vincent & the Grenadines' Hyron Shallow has been named in the training squad as cover for St. Lucia's first international cricketer Darren Sammy, who is a member of the West Indies squad that stormed into the Final of the ICC Champions Trophy.
MATCHES CANCELLED
The matches replace the Windwards limited-overs competition that had to be cancelled because Grenada was identified the host country and are still recovering from the damage that Hurricane Ivan inflicted. Grenada was also supposed to host the second round of the regional competition, but this too, had to be shelved. The West Indies Cricket Board has been shopping around for an alternative venue, or an alternative format, but has not released any details of changes to the competition as yet.
It, however, has been reported in several sections of the regional media that the preferred option is to play just one wave of round-robin preliminary matches in Guyana, with the top four teams by virtue of points heading into the Final Four play-offs in Barbados.
Guyana are the defending West Indies limited-overs champions.
Squad: Deighton Butler, Kirsten Casimir, Ray Casimir, Craig Emmanuel, John Eugene, Sergio Fedee, Orlanzo Jackson, Lyndon James, Alvin La Fuille, Rawl Lewis, Mervin Mathews, Kenroy Martin, Gary Mathurin, Junior Murray, Jean Paul, Kenroy Peters, Liam Sebastien, Hyron Shallow, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Fernix Thomas, Balty Watt, Roland Wilkinson.
