The tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla is expected to create history today when for the first time one of their cricketers dons the famous West Indies maroon cap in a Test match.

Omari Banks, the lanky off-spinner, is likely to gain the West Indies selectors’ nod for the second Cable and Wireless Test starting today at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. Also in line to make his Test debut will be 20-year-old wicket keeper/batsman Carlton Baugh of Jamaica. The duo are among 12 players named for the match with the final squad to be announced just before the play today. David Bernard Jnr and Tino Best have been left out of the team.

The casualties from the First Test are the injured Ridley Jacobs and Jermaine Lawson who has been struck down with chicken pox, while an off-form Marlon Samuels is likely to make way for Sarwan. WI skipper Brian Lara said after the final training session yesterday that he expects his team to put up a good showing against the world champions today. “The boys are keen and have really put in a big effort leading up to this match and I think that they will do well. “We have put behind us the loss in the opening Test and come match time we are going out there to play good cricket. We are going to play it session by session and see how things develop from there,” the double world record-holder said.

Lara welcomed the return of his deputy Ramnaresh Sarwan but said the loss of Ridley Jacobs and Jermaine Lawson was significant. “I am happy with the return of Ramnaresh Sarwan after injury. He adds that depth to our batting. But Jacobs and Jermaine Lawson will be missed,” he said. Jacobs damaged his hamstring while batting in the nine-wicket First Test thrashing, while Lawson was struck down by chicken pox. Focussing his attention on the pitch Lara said: “The pitch seems to be a typical Queen’s Park Oval strip. It is expected to deteriorate on the final two days and batting will progressively become harder as the match goes on.

There is expected to be some early assistance for the pacers but after that it would flatten out. “What I like is that we have a lot of talent, a lot of young talent,” Lara said. “I haven’t done any history on it, but I am sure that this outfit has to be one of the youngest assembled teams for the West Indies in a very, very long time.” Lara and fast bowler Vasbert Drakes, both 33, are the only players over the age of 30 in the 14-member lineup, of which half have not yet turned 23. Batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, at 28, is the third oldest. “It’s a win-win. Whatever the outcome is, as long as we compete, don’t give up. “As long as we get out there and play hard cricket and give a good account of ourselves, I think West Indies cricket is only going to move forward,” Lara added. The Australians who have chosen the same team from the First Test took the day off yesterday and are expected to press for an early advantage today. Play begins at 10.05 am.

Teams:
West Indies: Brian Lara (capt), Wavell Hinds, Devon Smith, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh, Omari Banks, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon  and Pedro Collins. 
Australia: Steve Waugh (capt), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Daren Lehmann, Adam Gilchrist, Brad Hogg, Jason Guillespie, Brett Lee, Andy Bichel and Stuart MacGill.

DARREL BROWN and Kelly Ann Baptiste will each be aiming for gold for Trinidad and Tobago in the Boys and Girls Under-20 100 metres as the 23rd Carifta Track and Field Championships commences from 9 am today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

The final eight will face the starter’s gun in the Boys’ 100m decider at 9 pm and Brown, aspiring for his fifth successive gold (Under-17 in 1999-2000; Under-20 in 2001-2002) will face a tough challenge from former El Dorado Secondary schoolmate and close friend Dion Rodriguez. Brown, the World Junior 100m prince, set a new Carifta mark of 10.22 seconds in the Bahamas in 2002 and, in his farewell junior season, is expected to lower his mark yet again in his third straight final. The Tobago-born Baptiste has been in sizzling form throughout the 2003 track and field season and, with 2002 World Junior Championships 100m finalist Wanda Hutson in the fray, TT can be virtually guaranteed another gold-silver finish.

Also on the agenda tonight are the Boys and Girls U-17 100m finals with Marlon Douglas, Kester Charles, Nichelle De Landro and Marsha Louis vying for spots in the last eight of each race. The 100m heats will be contested from 10.30 am while the “semis” will run off from 5.30 pm. Another top showdown will see Joel Pile against Jamil James in the Boys Under-20 400m final. The 19-year-old Pile caused a major upset when he defeated the 16-year-old James at the Carifta trials in March and the duo are certainties to medal in the quarter-mile final, which will take place at 7.50 pm.

The other three 400m finals will be held from 7.20 pm, after the mid-morning heats, with national hopes resting on the shoulders of Renny Quow and Shamir Reid (Boys U-17); Kyhesha Hills and Abigail David (Girls U-20); Karla Hope and Gineille Felix (Girls U-17). The dreadlocked Pilar McShine will square off against Caribbean queen Janil Williams of Antigua in the Girls U-20 1,500m at 6.35 pm while Candace Ince (girls U-17), Sandino Nero (Boys U-17), Carlan Arthur and Lyndon Bacchus (Boys U-20) will all be battling for places in their respective finals.

Starting the day’s proceedings will be the Open Girls Pentathlon, involving Charisse Bacchus and Cuquie Melville, and the Open Boys heptathlon with Mikel Courtney in the reckoning, while Peter Carter will be looking for TT’s first medal in the Boys Under-17 high jump at 9 am. Defending boys high jump champ Cory Gibbs will be going all out to retain his title in the finals at 5.30 pm, followed by Kellon Marshall in the Boys U-17 shot put and the Girls U-20 long jump featuring ex-Bishop Anstey High School all-rounder Bacchus, currently attending the University of Alabama. The games will be officially declared open during the official opening ceremony from 4 pm.

SACRAMENTO: Any revenge fantasies involving the Los Angeles Lakers must remain just that for at least a month longer.

In the Sacramento Kings’ fifth straight trip to the playoffs, they’ve got more important tasks to complete first. Their first-round opponents are the Utah Jazz, who lost to Sacramento in the first round last season. If the Kings advance against a team they’ve beaten in seven of their last eight regular-season meetings, they’ll face slumping Dallas or inconsistent Portland in the second round.

Nearly a year after their thrilling Western Conference finals loss to the three-time champions, the Kings are back almost exactly where they were last April: winners of the Pacific Division, with a roster at full strength and high hopes for their first championship since 1951. And after the playoff shuffle on the final day of the regular season, the Kings also ended up in what might be the best possible playoff position for their championship aspirations. “I like the way it looks for us, but you know we’re not looking beyond Game One on Saturday,” guard Bobby Jackson said. “Our only goal this season was to get a championship, and I think we’re in a good position to reach our goal. You’re not going to catch me looking at the conference finals, though.”

The Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs — easily Sacramento’s two most difficult opponents this season — both ended up in the other bracket. The Kings won’t face either team before the conference finals. The Mavericks were the NBA’s best team for most of the season, but Sacramento won three of their four meetings. Last spring, the Kings trounced Dallas in five matches in the conference semi-finals. It’s easy for Sacramento fans to get excited about this turn of events, but the Kings refused to look that far ahead after a film session on Thursday at their training complex.

When asked his thoughts on the Kings’ fortunate breaks in the playoff picture, coach Rick Adelman laughed. “There’s no break in this league,” he said. “You think playing the Utah Jazz is a good break? That’s crazy.” Still, it’s clear the Kings have few reasons to complain about their situation. Their entire high-scoring roster is finally healthy — Chris Webber’s nagging ankle injury aside — and they finished the regular season with 13 wins in 15 matches. The Kings were the NBA’s best home team for the third time in four seasons, and their average of nearly 102 points per game was third in the league. They’re a deeper team this season, with Keon Clark and Jim Jackson adding veteran experience to the same core that nearly knocked off the three-time champions largely without All-Star Peja Stojakovic, who was injured. Everything is in place for another playoff run — and it begins against the Jazz for the third time in five years.

Last season, the Jazz put a scare into the Kings with two outstanding efforts in Sacramento. Utah barely lost Game One and won Game Two — a day after centre Vlade Divac said the Jazz were “done.” While the Kings generally run their up-tempo offence at will during the regular season, Utah has been remarkably successful in slowing the pace to its famously deliberate style. Game Two is on Monday night at Arco Arena — but the teams won’t play again until the following Saturday in Salt Lake City. The change to a best-of-seven format in the first round was expected to lessen the interminable first-round delays of past seasons — but the Kings and the Jazz will be waiting around anyway.

A MATCH haul of 10 for 71 by left arm spinner Francis Joseph enabled Invincible to score a convincing nine-wicket victory over Carenage United in a TTCBC North Zone match at the Queen’s Park Savannah last Saturday.

Batting first, Carenage scored 124 with skipper Patrick Eve getting 26. Joseph captured four wickets for 19 and Adrian Don Morea 2 for 23. Invincible scored 250 with skipper Ronnie Lewis topscoring with 51, Anthony Garcia 43 not out and Kevon Ramdhanie 41. Eve captured five for 50. Batting a second time, Carenage made 196 with David Caraaccilo topscoring with 40. Joseph took another six for 52 to end with 10 wickets in the match. Needing just 71 to win, Invincible got to the target with the loss of one wicket.

SUMARISED SCORES
On Saturday
Carenage 124 (P. Eve 26, F. Joseph 4/19, A. Mora 2/23) and 196 (D. Caraccilo 40, F. Joseph 6/52) v Incincible 250 (R. Lewis 51, A. Garcia 43 n.o. K. Ramdhanie 41) and 71 for one.
On Sunday
Invincible 173 (F. Joseph 65, A. Garcia 39, S. Rambaran 5-43) v Siver Mill 34/0
Carenage 252 (Sean Brown 95) v Glenora
North Coast United 161 v Essex 31-1

With Ichiban and Due Dilligence injured out of the Easter Guineas, the vacuum created by the withdrawal of the two leading contenders have given hope to a number of runners.

And with it an open look to the first leg of the elusive triple crown. Preparations are completed with most of of the runners in the West Indian bred three-year-old classic, but the guessing game goes on  as to which of the 16 runners can win Monday’s 1800 metres run. From the lot, around five runners have risen to become serious contenders. The victorious horse, besides capturing the rich purse in the opening stanza of the tri-part series, will have a shot at the Triple Crown for which an incentive of $250,000 is offered by Colonial Life Insurance Company, and a further $750,000 for adding the Champion Stakes later this year.

With this package in mind, trainers were working feverishy this week in brushing up the loose ends with their charges. One such, was trainer Chester Roberts, who left no stone unturned in the getting Golden Honour to peak fitness. The champion juvenile of last year looked good in her coat when closing off her work over 600 metres in 39.53 seconds. Trainer Glen Mendez’s team of Top Of The Class, Celebration Time and Sweet Tempo were others to have closed off preprations this week and are keenly  awaiting the big occasion. Celebration Time, who went at a handy clip over 800 metres in his last piece of serious work on Thursday, returned yesterday to allow jockey Raymond Ganpath, who flew to especially to partner him, a feel-out. Top Of The Class breezed the last 800 metres of the course with American import Sure Ting, while stamina work continued to go into Sweet Tempo.

Following are the recorded gallops over the last two days.
ON THURSDAY
400 METRES:  Dottie’s Way – 24.95, good. Living In Hope – 28.98, pacing. Not To Worrie – 29.42, pacing. Lantern Lady – 29.99, pacing. Tea Time Doc – 25.75, handily. Panama Canal – 26.17, handily.
600 METRES: Politics, Squeezed Moment and Carnival Messiah – 37.50, handily. Golden Honour – 39.53, easy. Maid Of Honour – 43.63, pacing. Loughranne – 44.18, pacing. Poetry – 44.92, pacing. Honor Bound – 43.64, pacing. Guatama and Glory Road – 43.31, pacing. Kay Gee Bee – 44.46, pacing. Fantastic Lad – 42.17, pacing. My Son John – 44.99, pacing. Kalyan – 44.34, pacing.
800 METRES: Sure Ting and Top Of The Class – 48.00, good. Gold Master – 54.56, handily. Celebration Time and Soca Tempo – 53.86, handily. Sure Wager – 57.75, pacing. Isle Be There – 57.55, pacing. Sir Vidia and Foucault Pendulum – 54.08, handiy. Time To Fly – 59.99, pacing. 

YESTERDAY
400 METRES: Reign Of  Fire – 23.99, good.Isle Be True – 29.95, pacing. Cat Woman – 29.09, pacing. Toronto Star – 25.59, handily. Panama Belle – 25.31, handily. Lovely Pearl – 29.92, pacing. Joint Venture – 26.06, handily. Phantom Bidder – 25.95, handily. Loughranne – 28.95, pacing. Speedfuhso – 29.42, pacing. Yaa Asantewaa – 28.97, pacing. Poetry – 27.99,  pacing. Sea Spider and Finest Gem – 26.70, handily. Sunny – 29.93, pacing. Affirm Decision – 29.17, pacing. Never Ever Worrie – 28.84, pacing. Ula – 28.81, pacing. Sir Vidia and Foucault Pendulum – 24.12, good.
600 METRES: My Son John – 36.46, good. Upset All and Loud Music – 36.61, good.Undisputed – 44.77, pacing. Outswinger – 44.37, pacing. Ring Dang Do – 44.99, pacing. Super Grey – 44.90, pacing. Cornerstone – 42.34, pacing. Fantastic Lad – 38.52, handily. Fresh Mandate and Bound To Dot Com – 42.48, pacing. Full Of Promises, Morgan Heritage and City Of Lights – 39.56, handily. Maximus, Indian Decision and Saratone – 39.00, handily. Female Bandit – 39.40, handily. Mir On Fire – 39.84, handily. Seductive – 44.62, pacing.
800 METRES: Life In Russia – 54.45, handily. Isle Be There – 57.92, pacing. Peace Of Mind – 55.06, handily. Bazodee Gal and El Guerrouj – 54.73, handily. From Now Till Then and Pharmist – 55.30, handily. Cyber Five – 54.95, handily. What’s Left – 54.36, handily. Smooth Operator – 59.99, pacing.