WICB Names King's Replacement

Following a decision by tour selectors in Sri Lanka to have fast bowler Reon King return to the Caribbean for required surgery, the WICB yesterday named his replacement for the remainder of the tour. The 19-year Jamaican fast bowler, Jermaine Lawson, will today travel to Sri Lanka and should arrive on friday.

King, who was recently diagnosed with a hernia, will travel from Sri Lanka today. He is expected in the Caribbean on Friday and is expected to undergo the required surgery and will be out of cricket for approximately 4 weeks while he recuperates.

Lawson, who burst onto the regional scene during the 1999 under-19 tournament in Barbados, where he consistently bowled batsmen for sheer pace, has also represented the West Indies "B" in the regional first class tournament - Busta Cup. The youthful speedster has also represented the West Indies under-19 during the under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2000 and again during the West Indies under-19 tour to England this summer.

Lawson, who made his first class debut for the West Indies "B" in the 2000 Busta cricket series, has also spent six weeks at the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy in Western Australia. Lawson, however has not yet represented Jamaica in a regional first class match although he has played for his country in recently concluded Red Stripe bowl competition.

Speaking on Lawson's selection, chairman of the West Indies selectors, Mike Findlay said: "We have opted for Lawson because of the tremendous potential he has displayed over the years and in the 2001 Red Stripe bowl." The selectors were left with very little option since Cameron Cuffy, who himself had to return from the tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year is still recovering from injury, and Nixon Mclean is unavailable in South Africa.

Earlier in the week when it was first announced that King was suffering from hernia and could miss the second test in Galle, the diagnosis was that King could play on, but King indicated to team management that he was feeling some discomfort following the team's net session. A final decision to replace was made yesterday, after the bowler was omitted from the line-up for the second test because of "form and not fitness."

King subsequently saw two doctors in Sri Lanka, both of whom diagnosed the onset of a pelvic hernia, but advised that he could continue to take full part in the tour and have surgery on his return to the Caribbean.

The West Indies selectors have taken the view that King would be unable to withstand the rigours of a five-day test match while carrying a hernia and that it would be in King's best interest to have the surgery as quickly as possible, enabling a full recovery, (estimated at four weeks) prior to the start of the 2002 Busta cricket series.

Following discussions among the team's management, captain Carl Hooper and King himself, the player is returning to the Caribbean to undergo the required surgery.