Cricket-Windies give makeshift test side a second chance

MIAMI, July 15 (Reuters) - The makeshift West Indies team brought in to replace striking players has been given a chance to make amends for a humiliating defeat by Bangladesh in the first test.

With no signs of an agreement between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the players' union (WIPA) to end the strike, 36-year-old Floyd Reifer will again captain West Indies in the second test starting on Friday.

It would be stretch to label the team Reifer will lead as even a 'second string'.

Regular captain Chris Gayle and leading batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan are among the players who have gone on strike in a dispute over contracts and payments that shows no signs of ending quickly.

The only addition to the team which allowed Bangladesh, ranked bottom among test playing nations, their first overseas test win earlier this week is all-rounder Ryan Hinds who featured in the home series against England in March.

The West Indies batting line-up in the first test looked short of at least one more specialist batsman but none have been drafted in for the game.

Hinds, a slow left-armer, can bat in the middle order and he is likely to come in for fellow spinner Nikita Miller.

West Indies squad for second test v Bangladesh in St. George's, Grenada:

Floyd Reifer (captain), Darren Sammy, Ryan Austin, David Bernard, Tino Best, Travis Dowlin, Ryan Hinds, Kevin McClean, Nikita Miller, Nelon Pascal, Omar Phillips, Dale Richards, Kemar Roach, Chadwick Walton (wicketkeeper).

(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; editing by Kevin Fylan. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)