WI v Aus: Third Test Report Card
Tue, Nov 29, '05
As is so often the case, the West Indies saved their best for last, when the series was already decided. Although they were still outclassed by Australia, Lara's double century ensured that the match made it into the fifth day, no mean feat in recent times. In fact, but for rather one sided display of shoddy umpiring the West Indies could easily have drawn this match, and just possibly pulled off a win.
The bright lights were Lara, of course, but also Bravo the bowler and Bravo the batsman, Ramdin still looking the part of a wicketkeeper batsman, and Corey Collymore's steadfast professionalism. These were tempered by Chanderpaul's thoroughly inadequate captaincy, the assorted failures of all the batsmen except Lara, and the impotence of the young bowlers.
Devon Smith
If Devon Smith is going to succeed in Test cricket he needs to come to grips with real pace and the moving ball, two things he has not seen much of in his first class career. Undone by Lee's pace and swing in both innings, it's time for this promising young man to learn from his failures and come back a better batsman.
D-
Wavell Hinds
Thrust into the opening spot by Chris Gayle's abrupt exit, Hinds has seen no real cricket since the limited overs tournament in the Caribbean, and it showed. Unable to cope with Lee and clueless against Warne, Wavell was also generally poor in the field. In the end he added nothing to the bottom line.
D-
Ramnaresh Sarwan C+
It's time for Ronnie to grow up as a cricketer and learn from his mistakes. How many times can you be blatantly set up for the same dismissal before you change your approach? Perhaps chastened by his weak dismissal in the first innings, Sarwan was well on track to making up for it before he was brutally sawn off by a dreadful decision.
Underused as a bowler in the absence of a real spinner, Sarwan bowled well enough to have Hayden caught behind but unfortunately not well enough to get him out. Unlike the other part time spinners in the side, Sarwan can actually turn the ball while maintaining good control. It is a mystery why he doesn't get more overs in a side struggling to find bowling options.
C+
Brian Lara
One more major milestone in Test cricket achieved, Lara will surely be remembered fondly by the world as the greatest batsman of his age. It is part of the genius of the man that he can overcome woeful form and the cruel but inevitable grip of age to produce what surely deserved to have been a matchwinning innings.
A+
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Another unspectacular match with the bat will hopefully make Shiv rethink his bizarre stance and dour approach. While the Australians have troubled all of the batsmen in this match, a player with his experience and record should be far more convincing, and be producing far more runs. A couple fine catches showed glimpses of the fielder he once was, but like many of his teammates Chanderpaul was often guilty of sloppiness.
Chanderpaul's captaincy remains dull and totally uninspiring. His field settings are generally poor and devoid of any apparent plan, and it is left to Lara and Sarwan to have a quiet word with an errant bowler or to work up the fielders when the game starts slipping away. This match will have done nothing to quell the growing murmurs that he is the wrong man for the job.
E
Dwayne Bravo
One of three positives that West Indians can take away from this tour will be the emergence of Dwayne Bravo as a bonafide allround cricketer. Despite having to bowl against both batsmen and the umpires, Bravo rose to the challenge and his one handed catch to dismiss Shane Warne the third time was simply spectacular. A six wicket haul in Test cricket is impressive at any time, but when you do it against Australia in Australia it is truly a statement of arrival.
Bravo's batting continues to impress. When batting with Lara in the first innings he showed real maturity in recognizing and playing to the situation, while still being able to stylishly put away the bad balls when they came.
A
Denesh Ramdin
Possibly fatigued by so many long days in the field in recent weeks, Ramdin was a bit less sublime behind the stumps in this match, and even dropped a straightforward chance off Bravo. His batting was mature and responsible, and he probably was unlucky to be given out in the second innings.
B
Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Smith needs to look to Bravo and Ramdin for lessons on how to bat down the order when the man on the other end is in control of the bowling. Always one to play his shots, Smith seems to be a very one dimensional batsman, although he was denied his opportunity for redemption earlier in his innings than was Sarwan.
Still, he bowled creditably as a third change bowler and his presence in the field was uplifting and often brilliant. If Smith can develop discipline with the bat he will become a formidable cricketer. If not, he will join the growing list of Caribbean could-have-beens.
D+
Darren Powell
Someone needs to sit down with this young man and explain to him that there is a mental aspect to bowling. Easily capable of bowling good deliveries, Powell often seems to be simply running up to the crease and sending the ball down with no thought to a plan. Until he learns to bowl strategically and tactically Powell will be unable to provide anything more than support as a bowler. However, he did bowl some tight spells and demonstrate an ability to nag the batsmen which went mostly unrewarded.
Like Bravo and Ramdin, Powell did Lara a great service by occupying the crease well. Once the hook shot was safely put aside, Powell looked a little more than a tailender against some very good hostile bowling.
C+
Fidel Edwards
Capable of bowling with hostility and able to extract prodigious movement in the air with the old ball, Fidel Edwards is another one who needs some lessons in bowling intelligently. Often wayward and still prone to overstepping, Fidel bowled far too many bad balls around the deliveries that asked the batsmen hard questions.
Without the ability to maintain a consistent line and length around his wicket taking deliveries, good batsmen will continue see Edwards as someone to be milked for runs.
D+
Corey Colleymore
While not spectacular, Collymore has filled the job of first change bowler admirably, bowling line and length, and working to a plan. In this match he continued to put the pressure on the Australian batsmen, but without any pressure at the other end, his effectiveness will always be limited.
An intelligent tailender's occupation of the crease did nothing to hurt his cause for continued selection either.
B+