Marshall ... dumped from Superstars squad. - File

JAMAICA AND West Indies opening batsman Xavier Marshall, and Tonito Willett, from the Leewards, tested positive for banned drugs during a two-week camp in Antigua in August, according to cricket website Cricinfo.

The pair were among the 32 players named in a provisional Stanford Superstars squad to face England in the Stanford 20/20 for 20, a winner-take-all US$20 million match on November 1.

Awaiting advice

Marshall was 'quietly' dropped from the West Indies 17-man squad earlier this week, but neither he nor the Stanford camp gave reasons for the dismissal.

However, according to the website, Donald Peters, the chief executive of the West Indies board (WICB), confirmed the news and said action would be taken after advice from attorneys.

"They (the attorneys) are looking into the matter and will advise us on the course of action," Peters told Cricinfo. "WICB has a zero-tolerance policy on drugs and the matter could come up to the disciplinary committee. We are looking at a time frame of two weeks."

Peters said that the board would look into the Marshall case as he is a centrally contracted player and would let the Leewards handle Willett.

Adverse findings

The drug tests on the Stanford Superstars were carried out by the Caribbean RADO agency.

"We did the drug tests and there were two adverse analytical findings - which is the equivalent to two positive tests," Dr Adrian Lorde, the chairman of the Caribbean Rado, had told Midweek Nation.

"We can't reveal the nature of the substance they tested positive for," an official with Stanford said.