Sarwan not surprised by WICB's contract snub

Ramnaresh Sarwan, the West Indies batsman, has said that he wasn't surprised at being dropped from the WICB's list of contracted players and that the disappointment would not affect his focus in leading Guyana's Champions League Twenty20 campaign in South Africa.

Sarwan said he had been expecting the setback. "I knew for about three weeks now and even before that I was reading between the lines," he told CMC. "I am disappointed that it seems I am most times singled out for special attention by the board. At times I get the impression that some people believe that I deliberately get injured and that could be more frustrating than the injury. I continue to be fully committed to representing the West Indies and at this point I am fitter than I was a year ago."

Sarwan's immediate assignment, is to captain Guyana in the financially-lucrative Champions League, which begins on September 10. "My focus is on ensuring our team represents Guyana and the entire region in the best possible way in South Africa," he said. "We have a job to do in South Africa and me not getting a contract is not a distraction. They (WICB) made their decision and they must have their reasons."

The WICB announced its list of contracted players on August 31 and later released a statement backing the selection committee's decision to cut Sarwan. "The team management, selection committee and the WICB are concerned about Sarwan's extremely indifferent attitude and sporadic approach towards fitness, particularly in recent years," read the statement. It also said that contracts had not been awarded to fast bowler Jerome Taylor and batsman Narsingh Deonarine because of their fitness issues.