The West Indies are anxiously awaiting a doctor’s report this morningthey fear could end Cameron Cuffy’s tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya
Tony Cozier04-Jul-2001The West Indies are anxiously awaiting a doctor’s report this morningthey fear could end Cameron Cuffy’s tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya.The tall, 31-year-old Vincentian fast bowler, who has made an emphaticreturn to international cricket after four years’ absence, has beeninitially ruled out for the next two weeks by a painful left instep.It means he will miss the two remaining matches in the triangularCoca-Cola Cup series, both against India here today and in the finalon Saturday, and will not be available again until the three-day matchagainst Zimbabwe A at Kwekwe immediately before the first of the twoTests.Though it’s a limited-overs international, we are going to take itvery, very seriously and we will be going out there to play at ourbest and try to see if we can win the match, West Indies coach RogerHarper said yesterday.If the results of yesterday’s X-ray scan reveal a stress fracture, hewill have to return home for the required rest.Cuffy said he first noticed the pain during his seventh over ofSunday’s last-over victory against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. He has notbeen able to practise or train since.It is a setback to the team and to him personally.Since being recalled for the Carlton Series in Australia last Januaryfor the first time since the fourth Test in Adelaide in 1997, he hasbecome the West Indies best bowler in One-Day Internationals.His 21 wickets in 18 matches have come at an economy rate of 3.6 runsan over. In his three matches here, his 30 overs have cost 70.He is the second of the five fast bowlers for the triangular series tobreak down. Kerry Jeremy, the 21-year-old Antiguan, flew out of Hararelast night on his way home to have treatment for a serious backstrain.Colin Stuart, Jeremy’s original replacement for the second part of thetour, arrived in Harare yesterday along with Leon Garrick and DinanathRamnarine, the others chosen only for the longer matches.Ramnarine takes over leg-spin duties from Mahendra Nagamootoo afterSaturday’s Coca-Cola Cup final. He, Stuart and Garrick should all playthe opening first-class match against the President’s XI at the HarareSouth ground starting Monday.Today’s match has no bearing on the qualification as India, with threewins from three matches, and the West Indies, two from three, havegone through over Zimbabwe who lost all four of theirs.In the event, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Neil McGarrell, the only two yet toplay in the tournament, are included. Sarwan replaces Marlon Samuelsand McGarrell takes over from Nagamootoo.The team: Carl Hooper (captain), Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle,Wavell Hinds, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ridley Jacobs,Neil McGarrell, Merv Dillon, Corey Collymore and Reon King.