Sarwan

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Injured West Indies middle-order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan is expected to be fit in time for the opening match of the five-match Digicel limited overs cricket series against Australia in St Vincent tomorrow. This is the word from manager of the team Omar Khan.

"Sarwan's groin injury is about 70 per cent healed at the moment and he is working vigorously on it with physiotherapist Christopher Clarke to have it ready in time for the first game," Khan told CMC Sports yesterday.

Sarwan, who missed Friday's Twenty20 International in Barbados, has been plagued by injuries during his career to date and missed the South Africa tour early this year with an injured ankle. He was also forced to leave the tour of England last year after he damaged his shoulder while executing a diving effort to stop a ball from going over the boundary.

Not risking any player

Khan said Sarwan's position at the top of the order is essential.

"Sarwan is a tremendous boost to our team. He is critical at the top of the order and in the one-day internationals, he plays a pivotal role."

Khan, however, added that the management has decided not to risk any player with five matches to play.

"We are not going to risk any of our players who are injured because this is a five-match series and we want the best out of the players."

Khan added that the younger players on the team did very well in the Twenty20 international against Australia on Friday, where they won by seven wickets, but the return of the seasoned Sarwan, skipper Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will lend a considerable amount of solidity to the batting.

"Any team having three players like Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul coming in will be boosted tremendously and the team will be going into the opening clash a confident bunch," Khan said.