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Will the real West Indies please stand up
published: Saturday | April 12, 2008
Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president, Julian Hunte (left), gives Windies vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan the Man of the Series trophy at Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago, following the conclusion of the second Test. - photos by Dellmar
THE ONLY thing you know for sure after any two-Test mini-series is that it's at least a match too short.
Just as the teams have finally figured each other out, it's over and done, just like that, and, it seems, more questions are left unanswered than before.
Will the real West Indies side please stand up. Is it the team that was beaten on the flattest of tracks in Guyana by 122 runs, giving the Sri Lankans their first Test victory in the Caribbean? Or was it the one which rolled up in Trinidad and beat the visitors by six wickets with a day to spare?
Is Chris Gayle the answer as captain of the regional side, or is the side winning despite him?
Are the selectors committed to looking for a spin bowler or are they just choosing them to drop them at the first chance?
Will the opening carousel alongside Gayle ever stop?
a batsman
Is Ramnaresh Sarwan finally growing into the batsman we all expect him to be, or is he just continuing to preen himself on sub-continental bowling, only to melt down when the pace heats up?
And so it goes on as the two just-completed Tests have shown us next to nothing - particularly the first at Providence in Guyana, which is certainly not providential to any type of bowler except the greatest of masochists.
Those types of flat tracks are great for one-dayers and Twenty20s but will be the death of Tests as they simply do not allow for an even battle between bat and ball.
The first Test there should have been drawn but the West Indies lost it through an inept batting display in the first innings when they managed only 280 in pursuit of Sri Lanka's 476. They avoided the follow on, but then the tourists batted them out of the game.
Still, the match could have been drawn until last man in, Daren Powell, needlessly threw his wicket away with less than eight overs to go and with skipper Gayle, who had dropped himself to six, batting well on 51.
luxury
In a stronger side, Powell would have been dropped for such an indiscretion but the Windies, at the moment, don't have that luxury.
Hopefully, he got a good roasting from Gayle and coach John Dyson - at the very least.
On a more reasonable Queen's Park Oval pitch, the Windies were able to exploit their pace edge and, despite a wobble at the top of the order in the second innings, cruised to victory, thanks to a record-breaking fourth-wicket partnership of 157 between Man of the Series Sarwan and his Guyanese compatriot Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
The victory was a much-needed fillip for the hosts but should be tempered by the fact that the Sri Lankan attack was under-manned and the tourists are building up an alarmingly poor road record.
That should not take away from the heroics of Sarwan and rising pace star Jerome Taylor and the promising debuts of spinner Sulieman Benn and opener Sewnarine Chattergoon. It should also not cover up the failures of batsmen Marlon Samuels and Devon Smith and the ineffectiveness of Powell.
some answewrs
Somewhere between now and the end of next month, when Australia arrive for their three Tests, the coaching staff and management have to come up with some answers not made available in Guyana and Trinidad.
Australia, while no longer at the peak of their powers, will be a far more formidable foe than Sri Lanka. They have a better seam attack and a deeper, more experienced batting line-up, and the last thing this Windies team needs right now is a 3-0 thumping at home.
A 1-1 draw was probably a fair enough result to the just-departed series but it would have been nice to have, at least, a chapter three - if not to provide a decisive result, then to at least answer some of the outstanding questions.
Feedback: tym.glaser@gleanerjm.com
West Indies pacer Fidel Edwards sends down another delivery during his first innings performance of four for 84 in the second Test.- PHOTOS BY Dellmar
WI GRADES
CHRIS GAYLE - C
FELL FOR a duck to arch-nemesis Chaminda Vaas in first innings of first Test and retreated down to No 6 for the second dig. With an unbeaten 51, almost saw the side through to an unlikely draw. The skipper then returned to his rightful place at the top of the order for the final Test with mixed results (45 and 10). His rash stroke in the second innings as the side began its victory charge was not one expected from a skipper.
His captaincy remains a work in progress and seems more reactive than proactive, but he appears to have the support of the side and is getting some positive, results from a relatively young group. Tougher tests are to come.
DEVON SMITH - C-
STRUGGLED IN the first Test with scores of 14 and 10 and probably only kept his place in the side for the second thanks to an injury to Ryan Hinds.
Followed Gayle down to No 6 where he performed quite well (45 and 14 not out). However, the side does not need any more No 6 batsmen and he has probably surrendered the opening role to the new kid on the block, Sewnarine Chattergoon.
SEWNARINE CHATTERGOON - C
THE YOUNG Guyanese left-handed opener made his debut in the second Test and looked reasonably comfortable with the step up in class.
Not afraid to play strokes and keep the scoreboard ticking over. His footwork, particularly to balls pitched outside off-stump, needs work but should be persisted with for at least the first two Tests against Australia, as the carousel to find a partner for Gayle at the top needs to stop.
RAMNARESH SARWAN - A
THE DESERVED Man of the mini-Series with three half- centuries and a match-winning ton to his name in four innings.
Shrugged off the injury bug (at least for now) and reclaimed his position as the class batsman of the side. Topped the averages (77.75) and his 311 runs were almost 100 more than the next highest scorer in the series, Sri Lanka's Malinda Warnapura (217).
His input into onfield decisions should not be overlooked.
MARLON SAMUELS - D-
A SERIES to forget and will struggle to keep his place in the side for the Aussies' tour next month.
Made a miserable 29 runs at a bowler's 7.25 average. As his action is under review, he wasn't able to roll his arm over and, despite a sensational run out in Sri Lanka's second innings in Trinidad, looked half-hearted in the field.
Has more important things to worry about than Test cricket at the moment, as the Indian bookie issue is hanging over his head.
SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL - C
A POOR series by his own standards which was only enhanced by his undefeated 86 in the second innings of the final Test. That boosted his overall run tally to 133 at a respectable average of 43.33.
Rarely stays out of form for long and will remain an integral part of the middle order for some time to come.
RYAN HINDS - C-
USEFUL RETURN to the side despite being hobbled by a leg injury. Made 37 and 10 in the first Test before being forced to sit out the second. Fell caught behind the wicket off the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan both innings but, if fit, should return to the middle order to meet the Aussies.
DWAYNE BRAVO - C-
POOR SERIES by the all-rounder's usual standards. Made a stand-out 83 as a fill-in opener for Gayle in the second innings of the first Test in Guyana but contributed little with bat (117 at 39) or ball (five wickets at 49) beyond that.
Was uncharacteristically poor in the field as well, spilling at least three chances.
Still remains the spark plug of the side and will be a key component against Australia.
SULIEMAN BENN - C
SUFFERED THE usual fate of recent West Indian spinners - one Test and done.
The tall left-armer did not bowl poorly in the first Test on an ultra-flat Guyana pitch. Claimed three Test wickets on debut at a lofty average of 59.66. However, his economy rate of 3.37 was not bad and he deserved another chance in Trinidad.
His lower-order batting (28 run out and seven) was also handy and he's a very good gully fielder. Should return to the WI ranks sooner than later.
DENESH RAMDIN - C
THE TRINIDAD 'keeper was solid behind the stumps with a haul of 10 catches. Not quite so good in front of the bails where he amassed 52 runs from three innings at 17.33. Could feel Bajan keeper Patrick Browne breathing down his neck, although should be safe for now.
JEROME TAYLOR
CLEARLY THE class of the West Indian attack. The Jamaican pace bowler claimed more than twice as many wickets (11) as any of his teammates at a fine average on 24.81.
Continues to improve and looks like the spearhead of this attack for years to come.
His batting has also come on in leaps and bounds and averaged a more than useful 26 against the Sri Lankans. His stalwart knock in the second innings of the second Test with skipper Gayle took the side to within sight of a draw.
DAREN POWELL - D
NEVER SEEMED to be totally in rhythm, and that was reflected in the paceman's results, as he claimed only four wickets in the two Tests and they cost 57.5 runs apiece. Still struggles to recapture his early fire in later spells.
Made the bone-headed play of the series in the final stand of the first Test. With only eight overs to go and Gayle batting well at the other end, he turned down a single off the first ball of a Vaas over and then inexplicably lofted the next ball straight to mid-off. A less tolerant coaching staff would have dropped him from the side for the next Test.
FIDEL EDWARDS - C+ RETURNED TO the fold for the second Test and did well, claiming five wickets at 29.2. Set the ball rolling towards victory in that Test by routing Sri Lanka's top order in the first innings with 4-84 off 18 quick, if costly, overs. If he can stay fit, should be a great ally for Taylor for some time to come.
published: Saturday | April 12, 2008
Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president, Julian Hunte (left), gives Windies vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan the Man of the Series trophy at Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago, following the conclusion of the second Test. - photos by Dellmar
THE ONLY thing you know for sure after any two-Test mini-series is that it's at least a match too short.
Just as the teams have finally figured each other out, it's over and done, just like that, and, it seems, more questions are left unanswered than before.
Will the real West Indies side please stand up. Is it the team that was beaten on the flattest of tracks in Guyana by 122 runs, giving the Sri Lankans their first Test victory in the Caribbean? Or was it the one which rolled up in Trinidad and beat the visitors by six wickets with a day to spare?
Is Chris Gayle the answer as captain of the regional side, or is the side winning despite him?
Are the selectors committed to looking for a spin bowler or are they just choosing them to drop them at the first chance?
Will the opening carousel alongside Gayle ever stop?
a batsman
Is Ramnaresh Sarwan finally growing into the batsman we all expect him to be, or is he just continuing to preen himself on sub-continental bowling, only to melt down when the pace heats up?
And so it goes on as the two just-completed Tests have shown us next to nothing - particularly the first at Providence in Guyana, which is certainly not providential to any type of bowler except the greatest of masochists.
Those types of flat tracks are great for one-dayers and Twenty20s but will be the death of Tests as they simply do not allow for an even battle between bat and ball.
The first Test there should have been drawn but the West Indies lost it through an inept batting display in the first innings when they managed only 280 in pursuit of Sri Lanka's 476. They avoided the follow on, but then the tourists batted them out of the game.
Still, the match could have been drawn until last man in, Daren Powell, needlessly threw his wicket away with less than eight overs to go and with skipper Gayle, who had dropped himself to six, batting well on 51.
luxury
In a stronger side, Powell would have been dropped for such an indiscretion but the Windies, at the moment, don't have that luxury.
Hopefully, he got a good roasting from Gayle and coach John Dyson - at the very least.
On a more reasonable Queen's Park Oval pitch, the Windies were able to exploit their pace edge and, despite a wobble at the top of the order in the second innings, cruised to victory, thanks to a record-breaking fourth-wicket partnership of 157 between Man of the Series Sarwan and his Guyanese compatriot Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
The victory was a much-needed fillip for the hosts but should be tempered by the fact that the Sri Lankan attack was under-manned and the tourists are building up an alarmingly poor road record.
That should not take away from the heroics of Sarwan and rising pace star Jerome Taylor and the promising debuts of spinner Sulieman Benn and opener Sewnarine Chattergoon. It should also not cover up the failures of batsmen Marlon Samuels and Devon Smith and the ineffectiveness of Powell.
some answewrs
Somewhere between now and the end of next month, when Australia arrive for their three Tests, the coaching staff and management have to come up with some answers not made available in Guyana and Trinidad.
Australia, while no longer at the peak of their powers, will be a far more formidable foe than Sri Lanka. They have a better seam attack and a deeper, more experienced batting line-up, and the last thing this Windies team needs right now is a 3-0 thumping at home.
A 1-1 draw was probably a fair enough result to the just-departed series but it would have been nice to have, at least, a chapter three - if not to provide a decisive result, then to at least answer some of the outstanding questions.
Feedback: tym.glaser@gleanerjm.com
West Indies pacer Fidel Edwards sends down another delivery during his first innings performance of four for 84 in the second Test.- PHOTOS BY Dellmar
WI GRADES
CHRIS GAYLE - C
FELL FOR a duck to arch-nemesis Chaminda Vaas in first innings of first Test and retreated down to No 6 for the second dig. With an unbeaten 51, almost saw the side through to an unlikely draw. The skipper then returned to his rightful place at the top of the order for the final Test with mixed results (45 and 10). His rash stroke in the second innings as the side began its victory charge was not one expected from a skipper.
His captaincy remains a work in progress and seems more reactive than proactive, but he appears to have the support of the side and is getting some positive, results from a relatively young group. Tougher tests are to come.
DEVON SMITH - C-
STRUGGLED IN the first Test with scores of 14 and 10 and probably only kept his place in the side for the second thanks to an injury to Ryan Hinds.
Followed Gayle down to No 6 where he performed quite well (45 and 14 not out). However, the side does not need any more No 6 batsmen and he has probably surrendered the opening role to the new kid on the block, Sewnarine Chattergoon.
SEWNARINE CHATTERGOON - C
THE YOUNG Guyanese left-handed opener made his debut in the second Test and looked reasonably comfortable with the step up in class.
Not afraid to play strokes and keep the scoreboard ticking over. His footwork, particularly to balls pitched outside off-stump, needs work but should be persisted with for at least the first two Tests against Australia, as the carousel to find a partner for Gayle at the top needs to stop.
RAMNARESH SARWAN - A
THE DESERVED Man of the mini-Series with three half- centuries and a match-winning ton to his name in four innings.
Shrugged off the injury bug (at least for now) and reclaimed his position as the class batsman of the side. Topped the averages (77.75) and his 311 runs were almost 100 more than the next highest scorer in the series, Sri Lanka's Malinda Warnapura (217).
His input into onfield decisions should not be overlooked.
MARLON SAMUELS - D-
A SERIES to forget and will struggle to keep his place in the side for the Aussies' tour next month.
Made a miserable 29 runs at a bowler's 7.25 average. As his action is under review, he wasn't able to roll his arm over and, despite a sensational run out in Sri Lanka's second innings in Trinidad, looked half-hearted in the field.
Has more important things to worry about than Test cricket at the moment, as the Indian bookie issue is hanging over his head.
SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL - C
A POOR series by his own standards which was only enhanced by his undefeated 86 in the second innings of the final Test. That boosted his overall run tally to 133 at a respectable average of 43.33.
Rarely stays out of form for long and will remain an integral part of the middle order for some time to come.
RYAN HINDS - C-
USEFUL RETURN to the side despite being hobbled by a leg injury. Made 37 and 10 in the first Test before being forced to sit out the second. Fell caught behind the wicket off the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan both innings but, if fit, should return to the middle order to meet the Aussies.
DWAYNE BRAVO - C-
POOR SERIES by the all-rounder's usual standards. Made a stand-out 83 as a fill-in opener for Gayle in the second innings of the first Test in Guyana but contributed little with bat (117 at 39) or ball (five wickets at 49) beyond that.
Was uncharacteristically poor in the field as well, spilling at least three chances.
Still remains the spark plug of the side and will be a key component against Australia.
SULIEMAN BENN - C
SUFFERED THE usual fate of recent West Indian spinners - one Test and done.
The tall left-armer did not bowl poorly in the first Test on an ultra-flat Guyana pitch. Claimed three Test wickets on debut at a lofty average of 59.66. However, his economy rate of 3.37 was not bad and he deserved another chance in Trinidad.
His lower-order batting (28 run out and seven) was also handy and he's a very good gully fielder. Should return to the WI ranks sooner than later.
DENESH RAMDIN - C
THE TRINIDAD 'keeper was solid behind the stumps with a haul of 10 catches. Not quite so good in front of the bails where he amassed 52 runs from three innings at 17.33. Could feel Bajan keeper Patrick Browne breathing down his neck, although should be safe for now.
JEROME TAYLOR
CLEARLY THE class of the West Indian attack. The Jamaican pace bowler claimed more than twice as many wickets (11) as any of his teammates at a fine average on 24.81.
Continues to improve and looks like the spearhead of this attack for years to come.
His batting has also come on in leaps and bounds and averaged a more than useful 26 against the Sri Lankans. His stalwart knock in the second innings of the second Test with skipper Gayle took the side to within sight of a draw.
DAREN POWELL - D
NEVER SEEMED to be totally in rhythm, and that was reflected in the paceman's results, as he claimed only four wickets in the two Tests and they cost 57.5 runs apiece. Still struggles to recapture his early fire in later spells.
Made the bone-headed play of the series in the final stand of the first Test. With only eight overs to go and Gayle batting well at the other end, he turned down a single off the first ball of a Vaas over and then inexplicably lofted the next ball straight to mid-off. A less tolerant coaching staff would have dropped him from the side for the next Test.
FIDEL EDWARDS - C+ RETURNED TO the fold for the second Test and did well, claiming five wickets at 29.2. Set the ball rolling towards victory in that Test by routing Sri Lanka's top order in the first innings with 4-84 off 18 quick, if costly, overs. If he can stay fit, should be a great ally for Taylor for some time to come.