Samuels in Australia to review bowling action

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

The West Indies Twenty20 squad has started a weeklong training camp in preparation for the upcoming two-match series against England later this month.

Meanwhile, Jamaican middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels has travelled to Australia to do an assessment on his bowling action.

Samuels had been barred from bowling by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after his bowling action was deemed to be illegal, specifically as it relates to the delivery of the faster ball.

Under the guidance of head coach Ottis Gibson, the squad has undergone testing, training and planning since the camp started on Sunday at the Sagicor High Performance Centre at the UWI Cave Hill Campus here.

The camp moved into high gear yesterday and the players are expected to move into the nets today for batting and bowling sessions.

The West Indies Cricket Board said yesterday players holding developmental contracts would also undergo fitness assessments as part of the camp.

Preparations will culminate with warm-up matches against the HPC on Saturday and Sunday, before the team departs for London next Monday.

West Indies will play England in the double-header on September 23 and 25.

Meanwhile, Test off-spinner Graeme Swann will captain England in the two-match Twenty20 series.

England selectors yesterday announced Swann to take charge of the 14-man squad for the double-header.

Regular T20 captain Stuart Broad and vice-captain Eoin Morgan are both unavailable because of injury.

"Graeme Swann is a highly respected member of the England side and his experience and leadership qualities will be invaluable when he leads a young England team next week - a role he is very much looking forward to," said chief selector Geoff Miller.

Swann is the country's leading spinner and has become a fixture in both the Test and one-day side. He has taken 153 wickets in Tests and 85 wickets in 59 ODIs.

The squad includes two new players in Yorkshire's Jonathan Bairstow and Hampshire's Danny Briggs, with James Anderson and Durham's Scott Borthwick added to the squad that beat India last month.

"We have once again selected a blend of experienced international performers, along with exciting young players with a great deal of talent," Miller said.

"We have had a successful summer to date and will be looking to continue our form during the Twenty20 series against West Indies and finish the summer with two strong performances."

England squad: Graeme Swann (captain), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Craig Kieswetter, Samit Patel, Ben Stokes.