West Indies team officials in South Africa are sidestepping queries regarding an explosive published report accusing captain Brian Lara of "unilaterally" reinstating Merv Dillon into the final eleven, against the wishes of chief selector Sir Viv Richards.

The report, written by Neil Manthorp and published on the CricInfo portal, said Lara "performed an extraordinary about-turn just seconds before the toss" and unilaterally dropped Adam Sanford from the final eleven in favour of Mervyn Dillon "even though the chairman of selectors, Sir Viv Richards, had insisted on his (Dillon's) omission."

Asked to comment on the report, West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt told CaribbeanCricket.com he doesn't participate in or comment on matters of team selection and directed all queries to Richards, who is travelling with the team in South Africa.

Richards could not be reached at the time of writing.

However, another team source confirmed tension existed between Lara and Richards over matters of team selection throughout the tour. Asked directly about the CricInfo report, the source said simply: "It's no secret we're not in sync. But, I'm not going to comment on that report."

"They (Lara and Richards) are both very strong individuals so it's no surprise they would have disagreements," the source added.

The CricInfo report said Lara's very public disagreement with Richards came just moments before the toss on the fourth and final Test at Centurion.

"Richards, according to West Indian sources, has long felt that Dillon's figures were inadequate for a man of his experience and ability, and Viv also prefers a bowler to play with more obvious passion and commitment than the laid-back Dillon," Manthorp wrote.

"Nobody, though, was prepared for the amazing scene that took place out in the middle at Supersport Park, as Lara delayed the toss by several minutes during a prolonged inspection of the pitch. From the moment Lara started inspecting the pitch to the moment the toss took place, he looked deliberately towards the dressing-room - where a helpless Richards sat - on at least a dozen occasions."

Manthorp added: "Then, when Lara joined his opposite number Graeme Smith, he asked him whether he was carrying a pen. A perplexed Smith looked in his pocket, found a pen and offered it to Lara. Odd became odder when Lara asked Smith to make the change himself, holding the teamsheet and requesting that Smith put a line through Adam Sanford's name and write "Dillon" in its place. A dazed Smith duly did as he was told."

"Lara then ran towards Sanford to inform him that he would be 12th man, before being heard clearly on the stump mike calling to Dillon, who had done virtually nothing in the pre-match warm-ups, to tell him he was, in fact, playing," the report added.

Lara actually mentioned the Dillon/Sanford "last minute decision" in his most recent first-person column for the Trinidad Guardian. "Leaving out Adam Sanford was a hard decision and it was only made at the last minute. He has been a workhorse since he arrived and our leading wicket-taker with seven wickets in the two Tests in which he has played. Dillon, with the extra height, was preferred and, maybe, as the match goes on and the possibility of the cracks widening, he can still make his mark on the match," Lara wrote. (Caribbeancricket.com)