Eight Jamaicans In ProvisionalT20 Cup Squad

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

EIGHT Jamaicans, including left-handed opening batsman Chris Gayle, have been named in a provisional 30-man West Indies squad for the ICC World Twenty20 Championship in September.

The others include Danza Hyatt, Carlton Baugh Jr, Nkrumah Bonner, Nikita Miller, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels and Krishmar Santokie.

Temperamental left-arm spinner, Sulieman Benn, has also been included and appears to have inched his way even closer to a senior team recall. The 30-year-old Benn has been exiled from the senior squad for over a year following disciplinary problems during last year's World Cup on the Asian subcontinent.

His spell in the wilderness ended last month when he was picked for West Indies A Team's Twenty20 double-header against the touring India A in Trinidad.

Front-line spinner

The gangling Benn, who stands six-feet, seven-inches, was the regional side's front-line spinner up until the World Cup.

He picked up 12 wickets in six games at the World Cup before being dropped for right-arm leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

Benn is one of several spinners named in the provisional squad, along with fellow left-arm spinners Nikita Miller and Garey Mathurin; leg-spinners Bishoo and Samuel Badree and off-spinners Sunil Narine and Shane Shillingford.

Fast bowler Tino Best, who has not been a part of the T20 set up, is among the squad.

There are no major surprises with the core of the current limited overs included.

A West Indies Cricket Board release yesterday said the squad would be trimmed to 15 players next month.

The World T20 Championship runs from September 18 to October 7 in Sri Lanka, where West Indies play alongside Australia and Ireland in Zone B.

SQUAD: Darren Sammy, Samuel Badree, Christopher Barnwell, Carlton Baugh Jr, Sulieman Benn. Tino Best, Devendra Bishoo, Nkrumah Bonner, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Danza Hyatt, Garey Mathurin, Nikita Miller, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Shane Shillingford, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Devon Thomas