Windies' 'Fifth' Bowler Headache
Sat, Feb 15, '03
The West Indies cricket team has a big headache. Its 'fifth bowler'. No. Not Carl Hooper. Not Chris Gayle. Not even Wavell Hinds.
The team's considered third force, has actually become its "fifth" -- and it is a cause of serious headaches.
Pedro Collins had a woeful match against South Africa in the opener (one for 54 off nine overs) and on Thursday Nixon McLean (none for 38 off six) was even surpassed him for being awful. (There goes the horses for courses theory).
While skipper Hooper could have received 10 disciplined overs from "part-timer" Hinds, McLean could not be half as decent. When he was not bowling too full, he was pitching them in short.
McLean's real problem is in his cricketing head more than his talent, and just experience in a place does not negate that fact.
The team's management tried to put a brave spin on the switch from 'bad-to-worse' by suggesting after the fact that Collins was not dropped for the second game against New Zealand, but rested because of a slight side strain.
Which opens the door for him being reinstated for the next game "if fully fit" so as it not to appear as a really chop and changing decision.
But the selectors have the option of choosing either Jermaine Lawson or Corey Collymore, who are yet to play a game in the current World Cup.
Such a change would mean that the team will be using a third 'support' bowler in as many games. 'Support bowler' is the curious operative phrase, even if that person is expected to take the new ball.
Which brings the team back to its problem before the tournament started -- its bowling.
New Zealand's 241 were very getable by a side packed with seven batsmen. But if the truth be told, they should not have gotten that many in the first place.
Which begs the question. What failed us against New Zealand?
The answer, the bowling (and indeed the fielding) did first, and set up the batting for a failure.
When West Indies decided on the format of seven batsman plus the wicket-keeper and three frontline bowlers some eyebrows were raised.
Some commentators said the team was a bowler short, declaring that the 20 overs to be bowled by the part-timers is the team's real weak link.
Inspite of a couple of expensive overs by Gayle, this has proven not to be true.
Gayle has been generally steady as has been skipper Carl Hooper -- and on Thursday Hinds was their bowler of the match with three for 35 off his 10 overs.
While Collins, if he could find the discipline, would bring some variety to the attack with his left arm seamers, the team might quickly find that Lawson might be its best "support" option.
He might not necessarily be less economical, but has the potential to take more wickets with his raw pace and aggression, which is also a good thing in the context of one-day cricket.
Collymore also has the knack for taking a few wickets on big occasions.
Or maybe since the batsmen are among the best bowlers they may want to consider Marlon Samuels for that role.
But then again, it might just be taking a joke too far.
* SOURCE: CaribUpdate.