Windies retain Lawson for Test

KANDY – The second-string West Indies will retain Jermaine Lawson for the second Test against Sri Lanka here from tomorrow despite the fast bowler being reported for a suspect action.

The 23-year-old Jamaican was reported by the umpires after the first Test in Colombo which Sri Lanka won by six wickets inside four days to take the lead in the short two-match series. International Cricket Council (ICC) rules allow a bowler to play on, pending a written report from an independent analyst, but further scrutiny could see Lawson being suspended till he had rectified his action.”It has been decided by the West Indies Cricket Board that Lawson will remain with the team in Sri Lanka,” team spokesman Imran Khan told AFP yesterday.It is no surprise that the West Indies, depleted by the absence of 10 leading players including master batsman Brian Lara due to a sponsorship dispute with their cricket board, will risk Lawson again.He was the lone bowler to trouble the Sri Lankans in the first Test, claiming four wickets in each innings by gaining considerable bounce even on the featherbed wicket at the Sinhalese sports club.It is learnt that first Test umpires, Simon Taufel of Australia and Nadeem Ghauri of Pakistan, were concerned by Lawson’s action while bowling the short-pitched delivery.Taufel will stand again in the Kandy Test with Tony Hill of New Zealand.Lawson had been reported earlier after taking 7-78 against Australia in Antigua in 2003, but played in two Tests in England last year without any problems.The second-string West Indians, led by the seasoned Shivnarine Chanderpaul, put up unexpected resistance in the first Test but still lost in four days even though rain allowed only 25 overs to be bowled on the third day.The tourists will once again rely on Chanderpaul, who top-scored in both innings with 69 and an unbeaten 48, but they could find an ally in the weather gods in the Kandy Test.-Nampa-AFPInternational Cricket Council (ICC) rules allow a bowler to play on, pending a written report from an independent analyst, but further scrutiny could see Lawson being suspended till he had rectified his action.”It has been decided by the West Indies Cricket Board that Lawson will remain with the team in Sri Lanka,” team spokesman Imran Khan told AFP yesterday.It is no surprise that the West Indies, depleted by the absence of 10 leading players including master batsman Brian Lara due to a sponsorship dispute with their cricket board, will risk Lawson again.He was the lone bowler to trouble the Sri Lankans in the first Test, claiming four wickets in each innings by gaining considerable bounce even on the featherbed wicket at the Sinhalese sports club.It is learnt that first Test umpires, Simon Taufel of Australia and Nadeem Ghauri of Pakistan, were concerned by Lawson’s action while bowling the short-pitched delivery.Taufel will stand again in the Kandy Test with Tony Hill of New Zealand.Lawson had been reported earlier after taking 7-78 against Australia in Antigua in 2003, but played in two Tests in England last year without any problems.The second-string West Indians, led by the seasoned Shivnarine Chanderpaul, put up unexpected resistance in the first Test but still lost in four days even though rain allowed only 25 overs to be bowled on the third day.The tourists will once again rely on Chanderpaul, who top-scored in both innings with 69 and an unbeaten 48, but they could find an ally in the weather gods in the Kandy Test.-Nampa-AFP