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Windies win 2nd Test vs Sri Lanka and name 16 man squad for Digicel ODI's

Port of Spain, Trinidad: April 7th 2008
Source: windiescricket.com

The West Indies cricket selectors have named 16 players for the three-match Digicel One-Day International Series against Sri Lanka.

From the 13-man unit picked for the second Test his past weekend, spinner Amit Jaggernauth has been dropped and four players have been brought in - wicket-keeper/batsman Patrick Browne, batsmen Runako Morton and Keiron Pollard and the all-rounder Darren Sammy.

The first Digicel One-Day International will be played at the Queen's Park Oval, Port-of-Spain on Thursday, April 10 with the second Digicel ODI at the same venue on Saturday, April 12.

The final Digicel ODI will be a day/night contest at Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia on Tuesday, April 15.

SQUAD: Chris Gayle (Captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (Vice Captain), Sulieman Benn, Patrick Browne (Wicket-keeper), Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Runako Morton, Keiron Pollard, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin (Wicket-keeper), Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

MANAGEMENT: Omar Khan (Team Manager), John Dyson (Head Coach), David Williams (Assistant Coach), C.J. Clarke (Physiotherapist), Gerald Garcia (Trainer), Philip Spooner (Media Officer), Richard Berridge (Computer/video analyst).

Sarwan delighted with win (2nd Digicel Test)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Ramnaresh Sarwan said on Sunday that he put the team before himself as he led the West Indies to a brilliant six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second Digicel Test match at the Queen's Park Oval.

Speaking after making a superb 102 which guided the Windies to 254-4, Sarwan noted that he was delighted to get his tenth Test century, but was even more thrilled that the team won to square the two-match series. "I was not thinking about myself. I was thinking about the team. My aim was to bat and see the team home. I wanted to ensure that we won the match and get a share in the series. I would like to see us continue and build on performances like this," Sarwan said.

"We are playing well as a team and the spirit is good. We just know that when we get into good situations we have to look to compete and defeat teams that are ranked higher than we are. We are like a family. No one is thinking of (individual) stardom."

The 27-year-old added a record 157 for the fourth wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was 86 not out when the victory was achieved in front a jubilant crowd at the historic ground.

Sarwan was named Man-of-the-Match - he made 57 in the first innings - and Man-of-the-Series for 311 runs in four innings. He was making a return to international cricket after recovering from injuries.

"We really needed a partnership with myself and Shiv. Obviously we were under a bit of pressure so it was important that we put a partnership together. It's been a hard road back. I've been out for 10 months and I've been working very hard at my game. What has been working for me is the fact that I have been very positive up front and been able to pick the right balls to hit. I think that is the key to the way I've been batting. I just have to continue to play that way," Sarwan said.

He also thanked his family, Sewnarine Chattergoon, the West Indies opener, and Leon Johnson, the Guyana batsman, for their help during his lay-off.