England has added fast bowler Steven Finn to its squad for the four-match series in South Africa that starts with the first Test on Boxing Day. He was initially left out because of a foot injury but proved his fitness on the England Lions tour of the United Arab Emirates, playing in two Twenty20s against Pakistan A last weekend. "I've been really pleased with the way things have gone with the Lions," Finn said in a news release Monday. "I've bowled my overs and my foot has come through fine. I'm excited by the prospect of linking up with the team out in South Africa." Finn, 26, played the last of his 26 Tests against Australia at the Oval in August. The second Test against South Africa will be played in Cape Town from Jan. 2, with further matches in Johannesburg (Jan. 14-18) and Pretoria (Jan. 22-26). Samuels banned West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels was Sunday handed a 12-month bowling ban by the International Cricket Council for an illegal action as the beleaguered Caribbean side was dealt another blow. Samuels, 34, had already been banned from bowling his quicker delivery in 2013 and his latest setback comes after he was forced to undergo an assessment after being reported by the umpires in the first Test defeat against Sri Lanka in Galle in October. "The assessment (which took place in Brisbane) revealed that Samuel's elbow extension exceeded 15 degrees while bowling and, thus, he employed an illegal bowling action," said a statement from the Dubai-based ICC. "As this report constitutes the player's second suspension within a two-year period, he is now automatically suspended from bowling in international cricket for a 12-month period." Samuels played as a batsman only in the West Indies' humiliating innings and 212-run loss to Australia in the first Test in Hobart which ended inside three days Saturday. He has played 62 Tests for the West Indies, 177 ODIs and and 40 T20s taking 41, 85 and 19 wickets respectively with his gentle off-spin. Khawaja fitness doubt Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has pulled out of a Twenty20 game this week and faces a fitness check before the Boxing Day Test against the West Indies, Cricket Australia said Monday. Khawaja, 28, was due to return from a hamstring injury in Thursday's opening Big Bash League match for the Sydney Thunder after being included in the 13-man Australia Test squad for Melbourne. But Cricket Australia medical staff have ruled him out of the clash against the Sydney Sixers. Khawaja will need to prove his fitness before Sunday's Big Bash game with the Melbourne Stars, which would be his only remaining fixture before the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. If he fails that test, selectors will be spared the onerous decision of trying to put him back into the Australian team at the expense of either Joe Burns or Shaun Marsh. — Agencies
