West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan in a contemplative mood. - rudolph brown

bridgetown, barbados (cmc)

Experienced middle-order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan was confirmed yesterday as the new West Indies captain.

His appointment was unanimously agreed on by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) during a special board meeting at the upscale north coast Almond Beach Resort hotel in the parish of St. Peter.

Sarwan, a 26-year-old Guyanese and veteran of 65 Tests and 124 one-day internationals, was recommended by the selection panel of chairman Gordon Greenidge, Andy Roberts and Clyde Butts to take over from batting genius Brian Lara, who dramatically retired from international cricket on April 21 - a couple weeks before his 38th birthday.

Sarwan and the Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga were the leading candidates for the job.

Sarwan made his Test debut against Pakistan in Barbados in May 2000. He took over as Lara's vice-captain in March 2003 and scored his first Test century after 28 matches and 49 innings - 119 in December 2002.

Sarwan is reported to be in Miami and is expected to join the selectors in Antigua - headquarters of the WICB - tomorrow to pick the squad for the May 12 to July 7 tour of England which includes four Tests, two Twenty/20 internationals and three one-day internationals.

The squad is to leave the Caribbean on May 8.