Injured Samuels to return home

Dec. 23, 2013

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Marlon Samuels has been ruled out of the remainder of the West Indies' tour of New Zealand injury.

West Indies team physiotherapist C.J. Clark confirmed that Samuels is returning home with an exacerbation of a chronic right-wrist injury.

"It will require surgery management and he returns home to seek that surgical opinion and advice from the West Indies Cricket Board's medical panel, headed by Dr. Akshai Mansingh," said Clark.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Chadwick Walton will remain in New Zealand and replace Samuels in the 15-member squad for the series of five One-day Internationals against the Black Caps which opens on Thursday, Boxing Day, at Eden Park here.

West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson said losing Samuels was a major setback for the side as it looks to restore faith.

"Marlon's injury is unfortunate at such a tough time for the team, but it gives another player the opportunity to make a name for themselves in this series," said Gibson.

The 28-year-old Walton previously played two ODIs for West Indies during the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa.

Walton, a Jamaican, has played most of his first-class and domestic limited-overs matches for the Combined Campuses & Colleges over the last five years, when he was pursuing studies at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus in Barbados.

He's a tidy gloveman with close to 250 dismissals in first-class and senior limited-overs competitions and has played a few flambuoyant innings for the CCC in WICB senior regional domestic competitions.

"Chaddy has been on tour with us from the start including the tour of India without getting an opportunity," said Gibson.

"He has been working hard and growing as a player, and I feel confident that when he his opportunity comes he will make the most of it." (WICB)

ODI Squad (with jersey numbers, surnames capitalized)