Windies drop Chanderpaul

Joseph recently made 50 for a Carib Beer XI against England

West Indies have dropped batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul from their squad for the fourth Test against England as they seek to avoid a series whitewash.

Uncapped Antiguan Sylvester Joseph replaces Chanderpaul, who has hit 101 runs in six innings during the series.

Joseph, 25, has made four one-day international appearances, the last in February 2001.

He scored 517 runs in this season's Carib Beer Cup, but has an overall first-class career average of only 27.

In a statement, the West Indies Cricket Board said they felt the left-handed Chanderpaul had looked "tired and lethargic" during the third Test defeat in Barbados.

Reluctant to comply with a WICB request for him to be evaluated by the board's medical panel in Barbados, Chanderpaul "has therefore been allowed to return home for further evaluation," the statement said.

Joseph played against England for a Carib Beer XI in Barbados last month, scoring 36 and 50.

He will compete with Ryan Hinds, Dwayne Smith and Ricardo Powell for two places in the middle order.

West Indies have been a big disappointment with the bat in the series, and go to Antigua 3-0 down.

Their bowling attack will be unchanged from the third Test, with Barbadians Tino Best, Fidel Edwards, Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore keeping their places.

West Indies were also 3-0 down in last year's home series against Australia but managed to avoid a whitewash by scoring a Test record 418-7 in the fourth innings to win by three wickets.

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West Indies squad: B Lara (capt), C Gayle, D Ganga, R Sarwan, Dwayne Smith, R Hinds, R Powell, R Jacobs, T Best, P Collins, F Edwards, C Collymore, S Joseph.