BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Leading fast bowler Fidel Edwards and recently axed pacer Daren Powell were among a 30-man provisional squad named yesterday by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy.

Edwards was unavailable for the Bangladesh series due to injury while Powell was dropped after England's tour of the Caribbean earlier this year.

As expected, the squad is without several West Indies first-choice players who refused to play the just-concluded two-Test series against Bangladesh in a dispute with the WICB over pay and contract issues.

Several players drafted

The bulk of the squad comprises the players who contested the Bangladesh series, and the West Indies selectors have also drafted in several other players with little experience to complete the list.

Edwards is the first top-tier player to indicate his availability, following the strike action taken by WIPA in the build-up to the first Test against Bangladesh in St Vincent two weeks ago.

The 27-year-old has emerged as the leader of the Windies attack in recent time and is the most experienced player in the squad, with 43 Tests and 50 ODIs.

Like Edwards, Powell is one of the more experienced West Indies players to make himself available, having already played 37 Tests and 55 ODIs.

Smith, Fletcher named in the squad

Test batsman Devon Smith, who toured England earlier this year for the two-Test series, has been named in the squad, along with batsman Andre Fletcher, who was part of the Windies squad for the ICC Twenty20 Championship in England last month.

The Champions Trophy is scheduled for South Africa from September 22 to October 5.

Squad: Ryan Austin, Christopher Barnwell, David Bernard, Tino Best, Royston Crandon, Romel Currency, Travis Dowlin, Fidel Edwards, Rayad Emrit, Andre Fletcher, Ryan Hinds, Leon Johnson, Anthony Martin, Kevin McClean, Nikita Miller, Nelon Pascal, Brenton Parchment, Omar Phillips, Daren Powell, Kieran Powell, Floyd Reifer, Dale Richards, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Kevin Stoute, Devon Thomas, Gavin Tonge, Chadwick Walton.