MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC:
WEST INDIES captain Brian Lara and his teammates Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo have been given the green light by their team management to play for the Rest of the World against an Asian XI in a tsunami relief cricket match next Monday.
The West Indies team management had originally been hesitant to release the players, because they have only a 14-player roster and had back-to-back practice games in Hobart this Saturday and Sunday.
"There was some concern by the coach. He was just a bit cautious to ensure that all the logistics were properly worked out so that the guys would be able to participate," West Indies media liaison Imran Khan told CMC Sport yesterday.
ASSISTING VICTIMS
"Of course they always wanted to participate given the purpose of this game to assist the tsunami victims, that terrible tragedy," Khan added.
Many of the world's top cricketers are listed for the two-match one-day series to be played in Australia and Asia to raise funds to support the victims of the tsunami disaster that has killed over 140,000 and devastated thousands of lives in 13 countries across the Indian Ocean that were hit by the killer waves on December 26.
Meanwhile, the West Indies are likely to take a full-strength side into their first warm-up match, a day-night game against Victoria at the MCG tomorrow.
