Narine replaces injured Roach in Windies squad

Guyanese spinner Sunil Narine has been called in as replacement for injured pace bowler Kemar Roach on the current West Indies tour of England.

Narine who is uncapped at the test level, has just finished playing in the Indian Premier League where he helped lead the Kolkata Knightriders to the title.

During the IPL he finished as the tournament’s second leading bowler with 24 wickets at 13.50 and an economy rate of 5.47 from 15 matches.

The 24 year old has played eight ODIs and two twenty20 internationals, while in first-class cricket he has 34 wickets from six matches at 11.88.

Roach who led the Windies bowling with 8 wickets in the first two tests, was ruled out for the remainder of the tour after being diagnosed with shin muscle soreness following the second test at Trent Bridge.

He returned to Barbados earlier today and will now focus on regaining his fitness in time for the New Zealand tour of the Caribbean.

Roach now becomes the third West Indian pacer to pick up an injury while on the current tour.

Fidel Edwards played in the first test but was side-lined for the second test at Trent Bridge, while Shannon Gabriel who made his debut at Lords, injured his back and was subsequently replaced by Tino Best.

The West Indies in the meantime travelled to Leicester where they will face English county side Leicestershire in a two-day tour match at grace road starting on Saturday.

The Otis Gibson coached team following that match will turn their attention to the 3^rd and final test which takes place at Edgbaston next Tuesday.

Both teams following the 3rd test will play a 3-match ODI series and a one-off twenty/20 international.