rrtrn LEEDS, England.

• BMf June 6: England

— all-rounder Derek

Qfy |] Pringle and West

Indies batsman Desmond Haynes are likely to be risked in the first Test starting here on Thursday, reports AFP.

So important is the opening match in a Test series nowadays that both sides are ready to gamble on the fitness of these two key performers.

Pringle, the 32-year-old Essex batsman and seamer hoping for a Test recall after two years, will have a net on Wednesday in a final bid to prove his fitness.

Haynes, who is wearing a special corset to support his injured back, had a long bat in the net on Tuesday and, barring a reaction, looks likely to play.

Pringle said on Tuesday: Tve had spasms in the back and fielding is made a bit difficult when 1 bend. If it was an Essex match starting on Thursday,] would be available, but we ll have to wait and see.” Uncapped Glamorgan seamer Steve Watkin has been called in as cover for Pringle and the Welshman Joined a two-hour

training session on Tuesday.

But although the 26-year-old is the leading English qualified wicket-taker in the bowling averages this season with 31 victims at 22 runs apiece, it is Pringle who was the original selection because of his ability to hit the seam from a great height and so capitalise on Headingley's notoriously uneven bounce.

However. Headingley groundsman Keith Boyce reck ons his pitch this year is the best he has ever produced for a Test.

Only once in the last decade has there been a drawn Headingley Test, but Boyce thinks the quicker bowlers will not get the help they have been used to over the years at the Yorkshire ground.That will be good news for Richie Richardson. who has yet to repeat the dazzling form he shows In the Caribbean in a series tn England. despite being rated as the world’s top batsman.

The hard-hitting Antiguan is certainly running into form at the right time with 289 runs from his last three Innings. including a brilliant unbeaten 135 from 142 balls as West Indies beat Leicester-

shire by six wickets on Mon-day.If Richardson comes to grips with English conditions, it would go some way towards compensating the West Indies for the savage loss of knee-in-jury victim Gordon Greenidge from the first two Tests and possibly the whole series.

He is likely to be replaced by Phil Simmons, although Clayton Lambert, recently plucked out of English league cricket to reinforce the tourists squad, has made a late bld for a Test place and had the advantage of being lefthanded.

West Indies physician Dennis Walght is working full time on Haynes to ensure that the tourists vice-captain plays at Headingley.

There’s no doubt that Des desperately wants to play in the Test and at the moment we re doing all we can to get him Bt". said Walght.

"Actually, I think he would be a lot better Immediately if the sun came out and the weather warmed up. At the moment the boys are having to put up with both the cold conditions and the soft beds we get at the hotels.

"But Des got the sort of In-

jury that will heal up in time, so hopefully the support he's wearing will help his posture and therefore his recovery.”

England opening batsman Mike Atherton has also been suffering from a throat infection and did not take a full part in Tuesday's practice, but there is no dpubt about his fitness for the Test In which the host nation are likely to give Test debuts to three players.

Worcestershire batsman Graeme Hick and spinner Richard Illingworth will probably be blooded along with Middlesex batsman Mark Ramprakash, leaving Leicestershire all-rounder Chris Lewis to cany the drinks.

ENGLAND: Graham Gooch (captain). Mike Atherton. Graeme Hick. Allan Lamb. • Robin Smith. Mark Ramprakash. Derek Pringle, Phil Defrcltas. Jack Russell, Richard Illingworth. Devon Malcolm.

WEST INDIES Viv Richards (captain). Desmond Haynes. Phil Simmons, Richie Richardson, Gus Logic, Carl Hooper. Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall, Curtley Ambrose. Courtney Walsh, Partick Pat