Lawson free to return to WI team

JAMAICAN fast bowler Jermaine Lawson has been cleared to return to the West Indies team for the Third Test against England next week in Barbados. The timing could not have been better with the Caribbean cricketers suffering from a woeful lack of firepower, following their humiliating defeats in the first two Test matches of the current Cable and Wireless series. Adding to their problems was the subsequent withdrawal through injury of Barbadian Fidel Edwards. Lawson shot into the international spotlight when he singlehandedly destroyed the Australians in his last Test match with a spell of seven wickets in Antigua last year.

He was subsequently reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by the match umpires because his bowling action was considered suspect. “There is nothing to stop the West Indies selecting Jermaine Lawson for their forthcoming international matches,” ICC operations officer Jon Long told Newsday. “There is a procedure and full details of the two-stage bowling review process can be checked out at the rules and regulations section of our website www. icc.cricket.org,” he added. In October 2003, at the West Indies Cricket Board Meeting, according to minutes which were extracted from the caribbeancricket.com website”, Dr Michael Seepersaud reported that fast bowler Lawson had made good progress towards correcting his bowling action during a visit to Australia in the company of coach, Phillip Service. He told the meeting that a biomechanical analysis of Lawson’s bowling action was expected by later in the month and that Lawson had played some club cricket while in Australia.

But in January at another meeting of the WICB cricket committee in Antigua, in discussing Biomechanical Analysis of Lawson’s bowling action, more work was needed to remedy his faults. Dr Seepersaud reported that the analysis showed that Lawson’s bowling arm still had a bend of 14 degrees, four above the allowable limit. He pointed out that his greatest concern about Lawson was not necessarily his action which he believed would be corrected with time, but persistent back pain which he was experiencing. He hoped that it would be possible to hold a meeting at a venue where Lawson was playing in order that he could be seen by members of the committee.

But there was some disturbing information on Lawson as well, following that meeting. Mr (Jackie) Hendriks expressed another concern — on two occasions, Lawson had failed to keep appointments with the specialist, Dr Rose who was dealing with his injury. He reported that another appointment had been made for January 21, 2004. He also disclosed that Jerome Taylor and Marlon Samuels did not turn up for their appointments. Mr Hendriks read an e-mail dated January 9, 2004 from Dr Akshai Mansingh who detailed the problems he was encountering with the three cricketers. Mr Hendriks undertook that on his return to Jamaica he would meet with the cricketers and put the cards on the table. Lawson has subsequently played in two warm-up matches against England, but both have appeared inconclusive.