ADOPTING what chief selector, Sir Viv Richards, called a "horses for courses policy", the West Indies have packed six fast bowlers in their squad of 15 for the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.
Among them is Nixon McLean, reinstated at the age of 29 after an absence of almost two years mainly on the basis of his experience with South African provincial team, KwaZulu Natal, over the past two seasons.
"I believe it is a team of 'horses for courses' because we have picked six fast bowlers knowing the kind of conditions that we may encounter in South Africa, where the pitches tend to offer plenty of bounce and movement," Richards was quoted as saying in the media release from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announcing the 15 yesterday.
Vasbert Drakes, whose six seasons in South Africa with Border was a major factor in his recall last Septem-ber, seven years after his first appearance for the West Indies, Merv Dillon, left-armer Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore and the promising, pacy young Jamaican Jermaine Lawson complete the pace attack.
It leaves captain Carl Hooper, Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Ricardo Powell, all batsmen and makeshift bowlers, to provide whatever spin is needed with their straightforward off-breaks.
As expected, premier batsman Brian Lara returns three months after he came down with the still undisclosed illness during the ICC Champions' Trophy in Sri Lanka that eliminated him from subsequent tours of India and Bangladesh.
He was given the all-clear last week to resume playing by a London specialist who examined him late last month.
The WICB release explained that Hooper, who had surgery on both knees in Australia three weeks ago, Dillon, Drakes and Ramnaresh Sarwan have all had medical clearance after treatment for various ailments.
Lara, whose career has been filled with as many controversies as records, was recently accused by president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, Alloy Lequay, of turning his back on cricket in his homeland and criticised for not participating in current trial matches.
Eminent Jamaican writer, Tony Becca, on Friday identified him as a disruptive element and recommended his exclusion from the World Cup team.
But Richards hailed the availability of the left-hander who holds the highest individual scores in both Test and first-class cricket.
"Having Brian back will be an added punch to what progress we might have achieved towards the end of the Asian tour," he said. "I think it is marvellous that he is back and we welcome him with open arms."
"It means we have some more depth in our batting an if we can get a few more things working, I think we have a great chance of going very far in the 2003 World Cup," added the former West Indies captain and batting great who himself was no stranger to controversy during his playing days.
It will be the fourth, and probably last, World Cup for Lara who will be 37 when the event next comes around in 2007 in the West Indies.
He and McLean are the only two of the 15 who were not involved in the recent, successful one-day series in India, where the West Indies won 4-3, and Bangladesh, where the margin was 2-0.
McLean is preferred to two other fast bowlers who were there, fellow Vincentian Cameron Cuffy and Darren Powell. At 32 and given his immobility in the field, it probably signals the end of the line for the six foot, seven inch Cuffy after 41 one-day internationals.
Powell, 24, is at the start of what could be a long career. His inexperience would have been a factor in his omission.
Mahendra Nagamootoo was the only specialist spinner in India and Bangladesh but, while his fielding and late-order left-handed batting were assets, his quick, flat leg-breaks and googlies were erratic.
The selectors are still to name the five stand-by players who will join the two-week preparatory camp in Antigua prior to the team's departure for South Africa January 28. The West Indies play the opening match of the 14-team tournament against South Africa at Newlands, in Cape Town, February 9. They are drawn in pool B in the preliminary round along with Bangladesh, Canada, Kenya, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka,. Pool A comprises Australia, England, Holland, India, Namibia, Pakistan and Zimbabwe, The three top teams from each round-robin series advances to the Super Six round.
Squad: Carl Hooper (captain), Ridley Jacobs (vice captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Jermaine Lawson, Nixon McLean, Ricardo Powell, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan.
WEST INDIES' FIRST-ROUND MATCHES
Feb 9 v South Africa, Newlands, Cape Town
Feb 13 v New Zealand, St. GeorgeÆs Park, Port Elizabeth
Feb 18 v Bangladesh, Willowmoore Park, Benoni
Feb 23 vs Canada, SuperSport Park, Centurion
Feb 28 vs Sri Lanka, Newlands, Cape Town
Mar 4 vs Kenya, De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley