Ravi Rampaul: The Face of the Future?

For about 13 years or so, up to the arrival of Curtly Ambrose on the scene in 1988, the conveyor belt of quality West Indies quick bowlers ran non-stop. But from then to now, the machine has stalled.

A succession of heirs apparent have come onto the scene. But West Indian cricket fans, increasingly desperate at their team?s lack of success, have witnessed "heir" after "heir" disappear in the considerable shadow of Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.

To a man, they were unable to marry consistency and discipline to their varying degrees of ability.

Some time in the fast-approaching future, the same challenge is going to face a lad from Preysal Village named Ravi Rampaul.

In 2002, he gave a fair indication of just how exciting that future can be. All the way through the two-week West Indies Under-19 tournament in Jamaica in August, the 17-year-old had been the player on everyone's lips.

He ended the series as a losing finalist on a Trinidad and Tobago team that lost a see-saw final by an agonising one wicket.

But a series record 45 wickets and the Most Valuable Player award were considerable consolation and a sign of more than a little promise.

Coming as he does from the village of Preysal which has produced outstanding exponents of wrist and finger spin in West Indies players Inshan Ali and Rangy Nanan, Rampaul's preference for quick bowling makes him something of a rarity in these parts.

But still developing physically, Rampaul, of average height and slim build is already brisk and has the potential to become faster.

Caribbean pace great Michael Holding picked him as one for the future back in 2000 during the Costcutter Under-15 Series in England. Tony Gray, the former T&T and West Indies paceman, who was also Rampaul's coach in Jamaica is of the same belief.

But in the two years since that Costcutter tournament in which Rampaul was one of the leading lights in the triumphant young Windies side, he has experienced his share of growing pains.

Muscular problems and this season, shin splints, have kept him back somewhat. On the field, Rampaul also did not find success to be automatic. He had a creditable, but not outstanding, series in the 2001 regional Under-19 tournament in Guyana. And picked by the West Indies selectors to go to New Zealand for the Under-19 World Cup, he was unable to keep his place in the side that progressed to the semifinals.

However, later in 2002, Rampaul showed he had not stagnated.

Picked to open the T&T attack on his senior team debut against Barbados in the Busta Cup at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Rampaul took four wickets in the first innings. He did so bowling with admirable control and by generating movement both ways. It was the kind of skilled performance that has become a rarity in these parts, especially for one at his age and stage.

However, Rampaul did not find wickets as easy to come by thereafter. He finished with just six in his three games. But returning later in the year for the Under-19 tournament in Jamaica, he made his progress manifest.

Rampaul started by taking all ten wickets in the first innings of the first match against the inexperienced Rest of the Americas team. He ended the match with a haul of 13 wickets and went on to prove that that display had been no fluke. Some 32 wickets came in the next five matches, the opposition being unable to cope with Rampaul's pace, his swing and the good line he generally maintained. The young tyke was particularly dangerous with the old ball.

His second innings performance in the final when he took five wickets for 59 runs in 25 overs was an heroic effort that enabled him to eclipse countryman Rajindra Dhanraj?s 15-year-old tournament record.

It was by Rampaul's own estimation his best performance of the tournament.

Quite apart from the wickets themselves, it was the character that the youngster showed in taking on the responsibility of being his side?s strike bowler that was most noteworthy.

"The dictionary does not have any words to describe Ravi Rampaul's performance," Gray said at the time.

"He took a cortisone injection in his foot to represent his country -- it was amazing. He bowled 25 overs of pure pace and a lot of determination."

Rampaul had been preparing for moments like that one two months ahead of the start of T&T's preparation for the series.

One can therefore understand his tears of frustration when victory was denied him in the end in the Sabina Park final. The image was poignant and touching, Rampaul hunched over on the Sabina Park turf, his head buried between his knees with T&T manager Roy Jagroopsingh stretching a consoling arm across his shoulders.

But surely, if he continues to show similar dedication to his bowling and to his potentially useful left-handed batting; whether it is at his supportive club Clico Preysal, for T&T and eventually, even the West Indies senior team, there will not be too many more sad days.

For him, and even perhaps for West Indies cricket.

* SOURCE: Trinidad Express.