Lara, Boldon vs Strike Squad for charity

Also on the team will be cricket multiple world record holder Brian Lara, Guyana’s Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jamaica’s Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Fidel Edwards, Dwayne Bravo and captain Wavell Hinds.

The popular ‘Strike Squad’ which came within one point of qualifying for World Cup Italia ‘90 when they lost 1-0 to United States at the same venue, will again be led by defender Clayton Morris.

The veteran ex-national footballers will have in their line-up Brian Williams, Dexter Francis, Marvin Faustin, Leonson Lewis and Maurice Alibey.

Yesterday at a press launch at the VIP Lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) president Dinanath Ramnarine revealed that WIPA has the simple objective of ensuring the sustainable welfare and holistic development of all senior and first class cricketers in the region.

Ramnarine said to ensure his association’s objective is achieved a ‘West Indies Players Benevolent Fund was set up, and a number of corporate citizens have supported the fund financially including First Citizens Bank, Prestige Holding parent company of KFC, bMobile which has agreed to be the title sponsor, Toyota who will be sponsoring the Strike Squad and TGIF who will fund the West Indies team.

The Benevolent Fund was started last year with an exhibition football match at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva,

According to Ramnarine the inaugural game followed the destruction of Hurricane Ivan in neighbouring Grenada, after which WIPA launched the Hurricane Fund which the regional islands benefitted from, including a US$16, 000 from the West Indies cricketers. Ramnarine told a media gathering that he wanted to raise an unlimited amount to help the people of the Caribbean.

Entrance fee for the match is $50 adults while children ten years and under will be allowed entry free of charge.

Ramnarine is urging the public to come out and support the worthy cause for which the West Indies players are all expected to arrive here by Thursday.

Teams: WEST INDIES - Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Carlton Baugh, Xavier Marshall, Devon Smith, Daren Sammy, Pedro Colins, Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore, Dwayne Smith, Brian Lara, Daren Ganga, Mervyn Dillon, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Runako Morton, Lendl Simmons, Dave Mohammed, Keiron Pollard, Ramnaresh Sarwan.

STRIKE SQUAD: Michael Maurice, Clayton Morris, Brian Williams, Dexter Francis, Floyd Lawrence, Marvin Faustin, Jeron Nixon, Hutson Charles, Marlon Morris, Larry Joseph, Leonson Lewis, Maurice Alibey, Kelvin Jones, Philbert Jones, Russel Munroe, Lawrence George, Kerry Jamerson, Dexter Cyrus, Dexter Lee, Ross Russel.