Windies must win to avoid series defeat

Jun 26, 2010 Sports

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Sammy joins injured list

By Sean Devers in Barbados
In association with Caribbean Airlines

A high scoring draw on a batting paradise in St Kitts means that the West Indies begin the 3rd and final Digicel Test against South Africa at the Kensington Oval today with their hopes of leveling the series still alive.

The teams return to a venue where a sensational final day burst by the home team bowlers ensured an exciting victory in 1992 in the inaugural Test between the sides.
So much has changed in 18 years. Between 1980 and 1995 West Indies did not lose a single Test series and Barbados was a happy hunting ground as their pace attack repeatedly devastated opposition batsmen on pitches with pace and bounce. West Indies have only lost 8 of their 45 tests in Barbados since the first Test in the Region was played here in 1928 against England. Nine Tests here ended in draws against 21 defeats.
Not since the era of Sunny Ramadin and Alf Valentine, in the 1950s, has spin been the West Indies weapon of choice.
Now, without a series win against South Africa since 1992 and just two wins in 12 Test against the Africans on Caribbean soil, the West Indies head to Barbados hoping for a pitch without pace and fire at the Region’s first ever Test venue.
Even now with all the slow and low pitches in the West Indies, Barbados is still the quickest of the lot and provided plenty of assistance for the fast bowlers during the recent 20/20 World Cup in the West Indies.
New West Indies Coach Otis Gibson, himself a former West Indies pacer, is hoping that the track for today’s contest is not a lively one. “Fast bowlers (Jerome) Taylor, (Fidel) Edwards and (Ravi Rampaul) are all injured and we go into this match depending the spin of left-armer (Suleiman) Benn and off-spinner (Shane) Shillingford to spearhead our attack and I would like to hope that the pitch would suit our attack,” Gibson said.

Kemar Roach has recently recovered from an ankle injury and Nelon Pascal is almost sure to play following a thigh injury to Daren Sammy. They would be hoping for a pitch with some life after the ‘graveyard dead’ Warner Park track condemned the last Test to a dull drawn and made life a nightmare for the bowlers.
On a slow pitch with assistance for the spinners Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel blew away the West Indies for 102 in Trinidad to set up a massive 163-run win in the opening Test and while Gibson would want a pitch here to assist Benn and Shillingford, who again could do the bulk of the bowling, his major concern could be that a lively track is prepared, it will favour the South Africa attack and present more problems for the West Indies top order.
With youthful opener Adrian Barath still not fully recovered from his knee injury and Lendl Simmons apparently out of the selectors’ mind due to non-cricket issues, home boy Dale Richards has been recalled to replace to out of sorts Travis Dowlin, who agreed to the sacrifice as opener in order to make the team and predictably failed after doing well in his previous Test in the middle order.
Richards, who had a good limited over run against the South Africans, was not selected for the first two Tests and now at age 33, says he has nothing to lose and will continue to play is natural attacking style as he partners his Skipper Chris Gayle at the top of the order.
While this ploy could be entertaining and produce quick runs, this is Test cricket where occupation of the crease is also important and Richards’ planned pugnacious approach could be just the start the South Africans hope for.
With the injury-prone Ramnaresh Sarwan still unavailable and Brain Lara, the last real great West Indian batsman, now long retired, there is a huge hole left in the number three position and talented 21-year-old Daren Bravo, a Lara look-a-like could once again be ignored once Richards open.
Narsingh Deonarine should bat at number three with the ever dependable Shiv Chanderpaul at four and Brendon Nash, who has a similar temperament to Chanderpaul, coming at five and Dwayne Bravo at six.
The selectors’ patience in wicketkeeper Denish Ramdin’s contribution with the bat must be growing thin and this could be a last chance for him to get some runs at number seven. An option would be to use Ramdin to open and include young Bravo in the final eleven since his ejection from the ‘A’ team to return to the Caribbean to warm the bench does little for his development of either of the West Indies teams.
Benn and Shillingford could again have a lot of work to do, especially if Skipper Graeme Smith, who scored 90 in the first Test and ton in the second and Alviro Petersen give the tourist a good start.
Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince, Jacque Kallis, AB deVillies and Mark Boucher are all capable of big scores for South Africa while Steyn and Morkel will again spearhead the attack for the visitos with support from Lowanbo Tsotsobe and Kallis.
The match is scheduled to commence at 10:00 and while the West Indies must win to avoid losing the series, many West Indians would be satisfied with a draw.

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