Teenager Rampaul debuts for WIndies

BULAWAYO: Teenaged fast bowler Ravi Rampaul is set to make his One-Day International cricket debut for West Indies against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in the first ODI of a five-match series today.

The 19-year-old Rampaul was named yesterday in the West Indies’ final 11 that excludes fast bowlers Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor, as well as wicket-keeper/batsman Ridley Jacobs from the 15-member One-day squad. Rampaul created quite a stir in the Red Stripe Bowl West Indies One-day championship contested just prior to the team’s departure for Zimbabwe. Playing for the young West Indies, he bowled with pace and hostility, although he only captured eight wickets.

A player for the future, Rampaul gets a chance to prove himself as the West Indies, in a policy enunciated by captain Brian Lara, rotate their fast bowling staff to preserve them ahead of the demanding tour of South Africa that follows this stopover in Zimbabwe. West Indies warmed up for the series with a confident seven-wicket win with Wavell Hinds and Shivnarine Chanderpaul having the luxury of retiring-out and carry the psychological advantage of winning the preceding Test series against the Zimbabweans into the match. They would be very wary of the home team though. West Indies might have expected a stroll through the park during the Tests, but a focused and determined Zimbabwe almost broke their hearts.

Earlier this week, West Indies manager Ricky Skerritt mentioned that the side was more prepared for One-Day cricket than Test cricket because of the timing of the Red Stripe Bowl. He’ll be hoping that this form has not evaporated too much and that the team will dominate the One-Day series. Currently ranked fifth in ODI cricket in the world, the West Indies could move up to third by the end of the series if they were to win all five matches and England and New Zealand were to win their forthcoming contests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively. This should be a big enough incentive for West Indies. Zimbabwe have named uncapped batsman Alester Maregwede in a 14-member squad, but have not named their final 11 yet.

Maregwede, 22, has been included at the expense of experienced batsman Stuart Carlisle, whose wretched form in the preceding two-Test series against the visitors cost him his place. The squad also includes all-rounders Gary Brent and Sean Ervine, who returns from a knee injury, as well as batsmen Barney Rogers. None of these played in the Test series. Experienced all-rounder Grant Flower and fast bowler Douglas Hondo are still unavailable because of injury. For Zimbabwe, the bowling appeared more their strength than the batting and they will depend heavily on captain Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut and Ray Price again, to cause most of the damage when West Indies is batting.

Teams: ZIMBABWE (from): Heath Streak (capt), Vusimuzi Sibanda, Trevor Gripper, Barney Rogers, Craig Wishart, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Mark Vermeulen, Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Blessing Mahwire, Sean Ervine, Gary Brent, Alester Maregwede.
WEST INDIES: Brian Lara (capt), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Carlton Baugh, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Ravi Rampaul.