"I think the selectors felt that his knowledge of the game (went in his favour)," chief executive Bruce Aanensen said on the WICB Web site (www.windiescricket.com).

"They also felt that the opportunities he had to lead the team on the field, they were very impressed with that and those are two very important criteria.

"Those mainly were the two things that swung in his favour. (He also) has the respect of the players," Aanensen added.

The 26-year-old right-handed batsmen from Guyana had been widely tipped to take the job for the tour of England starting with the first Test on May 17.

The selection panel, headed by former West Indies opening batsman Gordon Greenidge, recommended Sarwan to replace Lara who quit international cricket after the World Cup.

"He (Greenidge) had indicated to us that the only other option that they felt they had was Daren Ganga and when they weighed up the pros and cons of the two persons they felt Sarwan was the better choice," said Aanensen.

Sarwan, who was Lara's vice-captain, has played in 65 Test matches and 124 one-day internationals. He led the team in four one-dayers in 2004, winning three, and is captain of Guyana. 

Sarwan is expected to join the selection panel in Antigua on Tuesday to help choose the 15-man squad for the tour of England.

Lara's farewell to international cricket was spoilt by a run out and a thrilling one-wicket defeat by England in the final World Cup Super Eights match on April 21 at the Kensington Oval.

The retirement of Lara, one of the greatest batsman to have graced the sport, gave the match special significance even though neither team had a chance of progressing at the finals.