Samuels allowed to join Windies

The International Cricket Council today allowed West Indies to reinstate batsman Marlon Samuels to its 15-man World Cup squad. Samuels was withdrawn from the original squad following a knee complaint and replaced by left-hander Ryan Hinds before the former world champions left for South Africa. Samuels, the 22-year-old Jamaican right-hander, was given late medical clearance to play in the six-week tournament in spite of his troublesome left knee.

Initial medical reports suggested the promising batsman, a key member of the West Indies8217; middle-order, would be out for at least three months, needing corrective surgery and a bone graft. But the West Indies Cricket Board received more positive news about his injury and made a formal request to the ICC requesting that Samuels be reinstated in time for the tournament opener against the host nation South Africa at Newlands on Sunday. The ICC8217;s six-man technical committee, headed by Malcolm Speed, discussed the West Indies8217; application and formally cleared Samuels to replace Hinds.