Gayle, Kayes ruled out of St Lucia Test

The West Indies will play their 500th Test this weekend, but will be without opening batsman Chris Gayle for the encounter against Bangladesh in St Lucia as he has withdrawn from the side.

The West Indies will play their 500th Test this weekend, but will be without opening batsman Chris Gayle for the encounter against Bangladesh in St Lucia as he has withdrawn from the side.

Gayle, who scored a half century in the first match, which the Windies won by 10 wickets, has cited a 'personal matter' for his absence. He has been replaced in the side by Leon Johnson.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh will be without batsman Imrul Kayes, who has been ruled out with a skin infection that also kept him off the field on the last day of the first match.

Bangladesh manager Habibul Bashar told <i>Cricinfo</i>: "Imrul is out of the second Test. He hasn't come to the ground today. We have kept him in the hotel. We will take him to the doctor today and see if he is healthy enough to fly back home."

No replacement will be flown in for Kayes, as Anamul Haque is expected to take his place on Saturday.

Windies Squad: Denesh Ramdin (capt), Sulieman Benn, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Kemar Roach, Shane Shillingford, Jerome Taylor

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