SAMUELS

Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

ALL-ROUNDER Marlon Samuels, currently the subject of an International Cricket Council (ICC) probe into alleged links with an Indian bookmaker, was yesterday included in the West Indies' World Cup squad.

Samuels was one of four Jamaicans named in the 15-man squad which will open the prestigious tournament against Pakistan at Sabina Park on March 13. He has been joined in the 15 by compatriots - opening batsman Chris Gayle, and pace bowlers Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor.

Selection surprise

The only selection surprise was uncapped Trinidadian teenager Keiron Pollard, whose prolific season with the bat in both forms of the game at the regional level, edged him past the likes of Runako Morton and Sylvester Joseph. Veteran, Brian Lara leads the squad which also includes Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Devon Smith, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, Ian Bradshaw and Corey Collymore.

The ICC granted the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) permission to select Samuels, 26, to the squad; but the governing body has also stated that his status could change depending on the results of the probe.

"Marlon Samuels is available to be selected for the ICC Cricket World Cup at this stage, although obviously that situation may alter depending on the results of the ongoing investigation being carried out by the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (of the ICC)," ICC spokesman Brian Murgatroyd said on Wednesday.

Nagpur police claim Samuels passed on team information to Mukesh Kochar, an alleged bookie, ahead of the West Indies' one-day match against India in that city last month.

Samuels has said he has known Kochar for the past six years but did not know he was a bookmaker. Kochar claims he is not a bookmaker and that Samuels is like "a son" to him.

If Samuels is dropped from the squad, the West Indies have permission to replace him.