The West Indies

In this morning's Herald Richard Boock and Ian Bradshaw tell us not to write-off the West Indian cricket team just yet, and given we have just selected Michael Mason to play against them then they are probably right.

One of the West Indian players I am most interested in seeing is Runako Morton. The 27 year old's statistics do not mark him out as an outstanding talent, but his history certainly marks him out as an outstanding entertainer.

Morton first came to prominence in July 2001 when he was expelled from the West Indian Academy following a number of undisclosed regulation breaches. After a spell in the wilderness he first appeared in the full West Indian squad in February 2002. Later that year he was fined for misconduct on the 'A' tour of England. He was then expelled from the senior one-day team in September the same year when he bizzarely returned home from the ICC Champions Trophy for his "grandmother's funeral". This news was greeted with some surprise by his (very much alive) grandmother. Morton was promptly slapped with a one-year ban from all cricket. He was also ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation but was cleared to play when his ban ended despite his psychiatrist announcing she was "not fully satisfied" with his progress. In January 2004 Morton was arrested after stabbing his cousin. His trial was followed by yet another poor psychiatric report and, of course, re-selection for the West Indian team.

Someone should warn Brendon McCullum not to sledge this guy.