Dillon cut from one-day side

BRIDGETOWN: Experienced fast bowler Mervyn Dillon has been scratched from the West Indies squad for the third and final one-day cricket international against Sri Lanka in St Vincent later this week, officials said yesterday. The home team lost both matches in Barbados over the weekend, putting Sri Lanka up 2-0 in the Cable and Wireless series. Dillon, who turned 29 on Thursday, is the only current West Indies bowler with over 100 wickets in One-Day Internationals and Tests. However, the Trinidadian has been inconsistent throughout  the internationals this home season and was clubbed for 66 runs off 10 overs in Sunday’s loss. Uncapped teenager Jerome Taylor of Jamaica is included at Dillon’s expense for the one-dayer on Wednesday, the West Indies Cricket Board said. The 18-year-old Taylor had an impressive debut season in the regional Carib Beer First-Class series earlier this year, collecting 21 wickets in six matches. And the Sri Lankan cricket selectors have dropped all-rounder Upul Chandana for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies, despite his match winning innings in the second One-Day International in Barbados.

Chandana’s 89 runs in 71 balls in Sunday’s match against the West Indies helped Sri Lanka record an emphatic win, chasing 312 runs. Left-handed batsman Naveed Nawaz has also been excluded from the Test side, while Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne, all rounder Thilan Samaraweera and fast bowler Thilina Thushara are included in the side. The squad includes eight specialist batsmen, five fast bowlers and three spinners. The First Test between the two sides will begin in St Lucia on June 20 and the second will be played in Jamaica from June 27.

West Indies one-day squad: Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Marlon Samuels, Ricardo Powell, Omari Banks, Vasbert Drakes, Ridley Jacobs, Corey Collymore, David Bernard, Wavell Hinds, Ryan Hurley, Daren Powell, Jerome Taylor.

Sri Lanka Test squad: Hashan Tillakaratne (captain), Marvan Atapattu (vice captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar  Sangakkara, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Kumar Darmasena, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Prabath Nissanka, Dharshana Gamage, Dinusha Fernando, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera and Thilina Thushara.