Corey Collymore ... misses out on trip to South Africa. - AP

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

COREY COLLYMORE, a fixture in the West Indies side over the last three years, is not in the 15-member squad that will visit South Africa next month.

Ramnaresh Sarwan has also conspicuously not been included in the squad, but this was not totally unexpected.

Collymore, a 29-year-old medium-fast bowler, has been part of the West Indies attack for all of the team's past 11 Tests going back to the first match of the home series against India last year here.

Though he has collected 33 wickets in that period of time, they have come at an expensive average of 34 runs apiece, and his apparent lack of zip off the pitch may have also contributed to his exclusion.

Left-arm fast-medium bowler Pedro Collins, his compatriot and close friend, seems to have gained Collymore's place in the squad. Collins is one of the two changes which have been made to the squad in Zimbabwe for a series of five one-day internationals.

Collins and Daren Ganga will replace fast-medium bowler Ravi Rampaul and left-hander Narsingh Deonarine, respectively, for the trip to South Africa.

Chance for parchment

This decision from the selection committee, comprising convenor Gordon Greenidge, Clyde Butts and Andy Roberts, means that opener Brenton Parchment stands a reasonable chance of earning his first Test cap and legspinning all-rounder Rawl Lewis has a chance to add to his four Tests.

Though the news release from the West Indies Cricket Board making the announcement of the squad was not explanatory, Sarwan's non-selection suggests he clearly has not recovered from the ankle injury he suffered during the KFC Cup.

The initial diagnosis indicated that Sarwan would be sidelined for six weeks, but he gave a clear indication that he wanted to resume training in time for the tour of South Africa, if not the trip to Zimbabwe.

Parchment's inclusion means that West Indies have four batsmen on the trip capable of opening.

The opening positions have been a perpetual area of concern for West Indies since Greenidge and his illustrious partner Desmond Haynes were broken up 16 years ago.

New West Indies captain Chris Gayle has only partially solved the problem but he has been unable to find a consistent opening partner Ganga, in recent times, started to ease some of the worries.

Trying to gain a better spread of their resources, however, West Indies may opt to drop Ganga down the order to fill the hole created by Sarwan's absence, thus leaving Parchment and left-hander Devon Smith to tussle for the opening slot alongside Gayle.

Lewis has again found favour with the selectors, and he may have gained a foot in the door to see if West Indies can exploit the noted South African susceptibility to legspin.

Arrive on December 10

The West Indies arrive in Johannesburg on December 10 for a series of three Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals against South Africa.

On Tuesday, the West Indies' arrival in Zimbabwe was delayed by eight hours after they failed to make their connecting flight from South Africa.

Media reports indicated that the delay was caused by their excess luggage which was expected to be cleared later in the day at Johannesburg International Airport.

Squad: Chris Gayle (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Fidel Edwards, Daren Ganga, Rawl Lewis, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.