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WEST INDIES PROFILES

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Brian Lara (c)

Born: 02.05.1969
ODIs: 299
Role: Batsman
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 40.48
Strike-Rate: 79.51
Bowl: Right-arm legspin
Average: 15.25
Economy: 7.46

It is unfortunate for Lara that, as one of the best players in West Indies' rich history, his career has coincided with what some have depicted as a terminal decline in the status of cricket in the Caribbean. Surely within sight of retirement now, Lara will be determined to leave a legacy in the Windies' own World Cup. His batting talent remains appropriately intact to help his team leave their mark.

Chris Gayle

Born: 21.09.1979
ODIs: 168
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 37.97
Strike-Rate: 80.34
Bowl: Right-arm offspin
Average: 32.79
Economy: 4.64

Gayle can appear a complicated character - but his attitude to batting is pretty simple; see it, hit it sums up his intentions - and he often manages to do just that. The tall left-hander is capable of taking any attack apart at the top of the order. His dart-like off-breaks can stifle the run flow in the middle overs and make him a genuine ODI all-rounder.

Ramnaresh Sarwan

Born: 23.06.1980
ODIs: 124
Role: Batsman
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 44.55
Strike-Rate: 76.90
Bowl: Right-arm legspin
Average: 39.33
Economy: 5.83

Sarwan was trumpeted by many as a major player even before he made his debut seven years ago - and he has largely made good on his potential by establishing himself in both forms of the game. A languid right-hander, Sarwan complements Lara in many ways - and the Windies captain will need his right-hand man on song this spring.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Born: 16.08.1974
ODIs: 217
Role: Batsman
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 38.05
Strike-Rate: 70.24
Bowl: Right-arm legspin
Average: 44.07
Economy: 5.17

The adaptable Chanderpaul is West Indies' mainstay alongside Lara. A latter-day Larry Gomes, the little left-hander finds the angles in one-day cricket and has a useful strike rate as well as an average just short of 40. Chanderpaul's method will not please the purists - but wherever he comes in, he is the glue in the Windies' batting order.

Devon Smith

Born: 21.10.1981
ODIs: 13
Role: Opening batsman
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 25.27
Strike-Rate: 63.55
Bowl: Right-arm offspin
Average: n/a
Economy: n/a

Left-hander Smith is a smaller version of Gayle at the top of the Windies order. He has yet to reach the Jamaican's heights in runs as well as inches and has had his best days so far in Test rather than limited-overs cricket.

Kieron Pollard

Born: 12.05.1987
ODIs: 1
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 10.00
Strike-Rate: 58.82
Bowl: Right-arm medium
Average: n/a
Economy: 6.66

The inclusion of the uncapped Pollard is a massive shock, but an understandable one given his astonishing impact in West Indian cricket. He announced himself as a future star by hitting 83 in the Stanford 20/20.

Marlon Samuels

Born: 05.01.1981
ODIs: 91
Role: Batsman
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 29.87
Strike-Rate: 74.21
Bowl: Right-arm offspin
Average: 42.61
Economy: 4.87

Jamaican Samuels has impressed many with his pedigree batting technique but has already had his share of scrapes and clashes with authority, as well as serious injury. There is little doubt Samuels has the required talent - but he needs to get his head down in pursuit of a significant international career.

Dwayne Bravo

Born: 07.10.1983
ODIs: 68
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 23.58
Strike-Rate: 76.92
Bowl: Rt-arm fast-med
Average: 31.08
Economy: 5.34

All-rounder Bravo is a cricketer who can make things happen with bat and ball. The Eldine Baptiste of the current generation, he too had a spell at Kent last year - when his aggressive middle-order batting served his employers considerably better than his bowling.

Dwayne Smith

Born: 12.04.1983
ODIs: 65
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 15.32
Strike-Rate: 101.32
Bowl: Right-arm medium
Average: 37.20
Economy: 4.78

Smith made his name with a hundred on his Test debut against South Africa. His aggressive batting - and handy medium-pace - looks tailor-made for one-day cricket, yet he has a conspicuously low batting average in that form of cricket. It may be he is simply too belligerent for his own good and gives bowlers too many chances, but Smith is still young enough to adapt.

Denesh Ramdin

Born: 13.03.1985
ODIs: 31
Role: Wicketkeeper
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 24.50
Strike-Rate: 81.06
Bowl: n/a
Average: n/a
Economy: n/a

Ramdin is being touted as a long-term occupant behind and in front of the stumps for West Indies. His wicketkeeping appears accomplished at a young age, and he has plenty of potential too as a middle-order batsman.

Ian Bradshaw

Born: 09.07.1974
ODIs: 62
Role: Bowler
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 12.47
Strike-Rate: 59.79
Bowl: Left-arm fast-med
Average: 29.47
Economy: 4.34

Left-arm seamer Bradshaw is far removed from the traditional West Indies pace bowler. He will strike fear into very few batsmen, but that has not stopped him getting plenty of them out at one-day international level, and his nagging accuracy makes runscoring tricky. He is a diligent tailend batsman too, as shown in the Windies miraculous Champions' Trophy win over England in 2004.

Jerome Taylor

Born: 22.06.1984
ODIs: 35
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 8.12
Strike-Rate: 73.86
Bowl: Right-arm fast
Average: 29.69
Economy: 4.86

Fast-tracked like many before him as the West Indies have sought to revive past glories in recent years, fast bowler Taylor has already served notice - by the age of 22 - that he may just be the genuine article. India had the misfortune to run into him last summer, and West Indies have realistic hope that Taylor could be a formidable spearhead for a new generation of Caribbean quicks.

Lendl Simmons

Born: 25.01.1985
ODIs: 7
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 21.00
Strike-Rate: 56.25
Bowl: Rt-arm fast-med
Average: n/a
Economy: 9.00

Simmons' versatility has won him a place in the hosts' squad despite his lack of experience. An opening batsman and occasional wicketkeeper, Simmons also bowls at a decent pace. Yet to hit the heights.

Corey Collymore

Born: 21.12.1977
ODIs: 84
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 5.77
Strike-Rate: 39.84
Bowl: Rt-arm fast-med
Average: 35.22
Economy: 4.30

Along with Bradshaw, Collymore represents the steadier half of West Indies' pace attack. He has an admirable Test and one-day record and can be expected to give little away with his well-directed seam and swing.