Late call-up has Richards hustling

DALE RICHARDS had to make a mad dash from the Foursquare Oval, St Philip, to his home in St Andrew and then to the Grantley Adams International Airport yesterday afternoon.Richards was added at the last minute to increase the West Indies squad to 15 in the hope that he could give a much-needed spark to the batting in the second Digicel One-Day International against South Africa today at the Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.Richards was informed that he was to catch the next available flight to St John’s, after he was dismissed for five playing for defending champions Carlton in a Sagicor Twenty20 Cup match against ESA Field Pickwick.Under BCA rules, Carlton were allowed to draft in a replacement player, and the visitors benefited from the inclusion of fast bowler Jamel Noel, who captured two wickets for 25 runs from three overs to help the Black Rock-based side win by 34 runs.Richards, an attacking opener, played the last of his four ODIs against undisputed world champions Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy, ironically in South Africa, last September.He found life in the international game difficult, and Bangladesh’s spinners cruelly exposed him last year during the home series. (AR)