Reifer to skipper West Indies in Bangladesh series

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) scrambled to get a team together for the first test against Bangladesh starting on Thursday after the selected players decided to boycott the match due to contract disputes.

A 15-man squad, captained by 36-year-old Floyd Reifer, whose last of four test appearances was over 10 years ago, features 16-year-old Barbadian batsman Kraigg Brathwaite who, if he plays would become the youngest West Indian test player.

None of the original 13 players selected for the match, prior to the West Indies Players Association announcing their withdrawal from the Bangladesh series, have been named.

Darren Sammy, selected as vice-captain, is the only player in the squad to have been a regular member of the West Indies set up in the past year.

West Indies Cricket Board president Julian Hunte declined on Wednesday to comment on the recruitment of players but said there had been "a lot of intimidation of players".

The WICB chief declined to comment on who had carried out the intimidation or give any details about which players had been approached.

Tino Best, the 27-year-old Barbados pace bowler, who last featured in a test match in 2005, was in the squad along with fellow Bajan, opening batsman Dale Richards who has narrowly missed out on test appearances.

Windies name replacement squad

West Indies have announced a second-string team in the first Test against Bangladesh on Thursday following a boycott by the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA). Cricinfo had learnt 11 players arrived in St Vincent and trained at the Arnos Vale Ground on Wednesday afternoon and the West Indies board announced a 15-man squad later in the day.

Former top-order batsman Floyd Reifer, who played four Tests between 1997 and 1999 and now plays his cricket for the Combined Colleges and Campus team in the West Indies domestic tournament, was appointed captain, while Darren Sammy, who was part of the recent ICC World Twenty20, was named his deputy.

Uncapped players include Barbados' Dale Richards, and Kraigg Braithwaite, a prolific 16-year old batsman, Combined Colleges and Campuses' Ryan Austin, Chadwick Walton, Omar Phillips and Kevin McClean, Jamaica's Andre Creary, Guyana's Travis Dowlin, and Grenada's Nelon Pascal.