West Indies Second Test Grades

With the Second Test match just concluding in India with they West Indies, yet again, coming out on the short end of the stick, it is clear that it is becoming harder and harder to find any positives associated with West Indies cricket. It is sheer torture, to stay up all night to watch the team play.

Oftentimes many have waxed philosophical about proverbial lights at the end of proverbial tunnels, and corners that have begun to be turned, yet when we travel away from the comforts of our home territory, we continue to slide from ignominious defeat to ignominious defeat.

It is like there is some hex on West Indies teams of recent vintage. They get into an aircraft and cross the oceans and proceed to lose even the rudimentary skills that they should have mastered by this late stage. They drop catch after catch, fail to follow the basics when batting, fail to bowl a good line and length, and are basically lambs being led to the slaughter.

We were supposed to be defending our sixth position in the ICC test playing nations ranking, defending that position from India, who seemed to play with more purpose and as if they had a goal, while we floundered, rudderless, leaderless towards certain defeat. So sound was the thrashing, that it was hard to point to any one session where we could say that we were competitive. At the end of day one, there was defeat written all over this test match.

At least Carl Hooper got it right when he stated, "There are no excuses..." A truer statement was never spoken. It is so true that even the Indian journalists have given pause to their psychological warfare to pen articles pitying us . I could go on, but the purpose of this is to grade the players so here goes:




CHRIS GAYLE:
What can I say? Much was expected of Gayle when this tour began, but he has consistently failed to deliver. After getting a reasonable start in the first, he undid all the hard work by playing across the line to Harbajan, and getting a leading edge that lobbed to gully. This is an identical dismissal to the same bowler as in the second innings of the first Test. Gayle has not learned from his mistakes. In the second, he got out for a duck, in the first over, when the West Indies were fighting to stay in the game, to a shot that could only be described as having its roots in an agricultural manual. I am sure that had that slash been executed on some plantation, Chris would have harvested ten stalks of sugar cane or at least sixteen hands of bananas. Sadly it was at Chennai against India, and a long slow trudge back to the pavilion was the only possible outcome. Gayle was also guilty of grassing a couple of catches, and I would recommend that he sit the last Test out to contemplate the error of his ways.

GRADE: F



WAVELL HINDS:
Like his soon to be erstwhile opening partner, a lot was expected of Wavell Hinds, if only because he has better technique against the spinners. He does, however, have to put in a lot of time on the catching cradle, as he managed to grass two catches in the India first innings. Hinds is probably the unluckiest batsman who has ever doffed the West Indian cap, and there is nothing to suggest that his luck is going to change in the near future. His dismissal in the first innings was the first of many glaring errors, and not the most egregious, committed by 'elite' umpire DaSilva in this match. Hinds however came back in the second innings, and put the Indian attack to the sword in scoring 61 off 83 balls. With a bit more care he should have carried on to get a century, as he got out trying to hit Harbajan over midwicket.

GRADE: B-



RAMNARESH SARWAN:
Sarwan continued to live dangerously to Kumble. Insisting on playing him off the back foot, which would suggest that he is not really reading him out of the hand. He, however, managed to put together a decent knock in the second, reaching his 14th test fifty in 47 innings without scoring a hundred. Sarwan looked his best so far, when he was batting with Hooper in the second innings, but once the captain departed, the enormity of the situation seemed to get to him. It was a good knock nevertheless and should do wonders for Sarwan's confidence going into the third test.

GRADE: B



SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL:
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the backbone of so many West Indian innings against India was due for a failure. It was unfortunate that it had to come in this match when the West Indies most needed his obdurate and purposeful bat. He was guilty of grassing a very difficult chance in the first, but this only proves that Shiv is human. Sometimes, being Superman could be a bit wearing on the human soul.

GRADE: C



CARL HOOPER:
The skipper cannot be faulted for the effort he put forth, and more importantly, appeared to put forth in this match. Far too often, at least to his innumerable detractors, he has appeared aloof and disinterested. For once he showed visible dismay when he misplayed Kumble's googly and was adjudged caught behind in the second. Hooper batted well in both innings without carrying on, and his captaincy and management of the bowlers could not be faulted. He, however, has to do much more to turn this debacle around.

GRADE: C



RYAN HINDS:
In the 'Report Card' for the first Test, I wrote: "Ryan Hinds was clearly overmatched. He seemed clueless against the spinners, which makes one wonder, what all the fuss is about? He is billed as an all-rounder but clearly his bowling is not up to test standard. The selectors need to get him back to the bench for retooling, and in the meantime, either use Marlon Samuels or Darren Ganga." I have seen nothing to change my opinion, and lest his confidence be totally destroyed, I would recommend that he be rested for the third Test.

GRADE: F



RIDLEY JACOBS:
Ridley Jacobs is like the old soldier looking for a place to fade away. Even though he did not commit any glaring errors like he did in the First Test, he should have taken Sehwag off Dillon, when Gayle ended up dropping him at first slip in the Indian first innings. For someone of his experience and pride, he also needs to really bat a lot better. If the West Indies are to win they need his bat. Again, the selectors are looking foolish for not having a back-up 'keeper on this tour.

GRADE: F



GARETH BREESE:
Breese made his Test debut at the expense of Mahendra Nagamootoo, of whom Michael Holding stated flatly, "he should not have been dropped." This was another one of those inexplicable picks by the selectors. Even though Breese bowled well in spurts, he is clearly not a Test standard off-spinner and his batting is not yet up to Test standard. He did manage to dismiss a threatening Laxman and was unlucky earlier when fellow Jamaican Wavell Hinds grassed two chances off him. In retrospect, the team could have probably used Nagamootoo's bat, but all in all Breese showed guts and the willingness to attack the batsmen. For that he should be commended, especially after the way he was greeted by Sehwag.

GRADE: C-



PEDRO COLLINS:
Collins bowled well, but needs to take wickets. With a return of only one wicket from 53 overs, West Indies just cannot afford bowlers who cannot take wickets. With Darren Powell cooling his heels in the pavilion, Collins must feel that his place is in jeopardy. He might well make way for Powell to play his first overseas Test. For this match, the West Indies selectors should have gambled and played Powell and Lawson and have Breese wait for his debut.

GRADE: D



MERV DILLON:
Dillon continued to bowl well even though he did not get the kind of returns he deserved. He was able to extract nice bounce form the wicket, but was not supported by the fielding.

GRADE: B-



JERMAINE LAWSON:
The other Jamaican to make his debut in this match, Lawson bowled well and with good pace. He hurried all the batsmen, and was fairly accurate and showed a willingness to attack the batsmen. We should be hearing more things from this young man as long as he stays injury-free. Should form a potent new ball attack in the future in partnership with Darren Powell, for whom it is hoped, Richards and company will find a place for in the third and final test.

GRADE: B



* Click here for first Test 'Report Card'.