West Indies WC Report Card
The West Indies Cricket World Cup adventure was a story full of ups and downs but, despite being competitive, the team's performance left fans with a bitter taste.
The story could have ended much differently if certain key changes in the makeup of the team were made at crucial times. For example, instead of persisting with the struggling opening pair of Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds, they could have opened with Gayle and Shiv Chanderpaul at the top of the order in the crucial game against Sri Lanka. This might have helped Brian Lara to be more effective coming in at No. 3, as in every game except the final game against Kenya, he was essentially opening the batting.
This had to have a deleterious effect on Lara's return and exerted undue pressure down the batting lineup.
The other disappointing thing was the team's poor ground fielding. There were just too many missed catches, missed run-outs, misfields and generally a laid back attitude in the field. Unlike New Zealand (and particularly Kenya), there was never a sense of desperation from the West Indies players. Where was the need to save every run? Why weren't we sliding on the boundary edge to stop certain fours?
It is unfortunate because the departing coach Roger Harper was once considered one of the best fielders in the world. The West Indies need to study the desperation which New Zealand approaches their fielding with and apply those methods at the junior levels so that when those players come through, they would be familiar with executing the sliding pick up and throw, which allows the fielder to get into throwing position much faster than the running pickup, stop, set the feet and then throw.
We also need to exhibit more urgency when running between the wickets. Lara's run out while casually attempting a third run against New Zealand, even though it was due to a wonderful piece of fielding, was unforgivable at this level.
Looking back, it is clear the selectors should have gambled and picked Jermaine Lawson to add some much needed punch to the bowling. His fiery eight-over spell (2-16) in the throwaway game against Kenya left many fans shaking their heads and wondering what could have been. The selectors' insistence at sticking to the 7-1-3 formula, while it did not cause any unreachable totals to be racked up against the West Indies, meant that there was not the extra option of a strike bowler in the middle overs when we had teams on the ropes.
Here are my grades of the individual performances by the West Indies batsmen:
CHRIS GAYLE:
After coming off a tour where he scored three centuries in an ODI series against India, and was the MVP of that series, much was expected of Chris Gayle. Unfortunately, West Indies saw the Chris Gayle of old. Exhibiting little foot movement and not showing a willingness to turn over the strike by working the ball into gaps, Gayle did play well in the Sri Lanka contest for 55, but never looked convincing against super swinger Chaminda Vaas, and when he was eventually out LBW with both feet pinned together on the crease, it was not totally unexpected. Gayle needs to do serious work on his technical deficiencies against the moving ball if he is to progress further along, and become the star that many predict he will be. Bowled well in spurts but was misused by being bowled at the death by Hooper. Has to improve on his fielding.
GRADE: D
WAVELL HINDS:
Like Gayle, Hinds suffered from deficient technique, and when that was not his undoing, he got shafted by the umpires -- again. Is there another international player who gets as many bad umpiring decisions? Hinds also didn't seem capable of working the ball for singles, which essentially placed the West Indies on their heels as soon as their innings commenced. Only score of note was against "minnows" Canada. Did very well with the ball, however, and became a valuable fourth option as the tournament progressed. His batting rates an 'F' but his bowling drags him two grades up.
GRADE: C
BRIAN LARA:
Lara started the tournament with a bang, taking a century off South Africa in Capetown. In the company of Chanderpaul, Lara was able to work out the kinks and play a magnificent innings that pushed the West Indies to a defendable total after a horrid start. Alas, that was the last score of substance from Lara. Then, there was the bizarre behaviour in the net session that left many wondering if Lara's focus was all there. As a senior player, Lara has to know that he is also a leader and leadership is of utmost importance on a young team. Lara is certain not to be around for the next World Cup and many hoped that he would have went out with a bang in this one. Instead after some initial pyrotechnics, he fizzled like a damp squib.
GRADE: D
RAMNARESH SARWAN:
Sarwan was the model of consistency for the entire World Cup. He did everything with great enthusiasm, and batted with even greater flair. Sarwan's stock went up even higher when he came back from a fearful blow to the head against Sri Lanka and almost pulled out an improbable win when the West Indies were on the ropes. The fact that he even came back to continue the West Indian cause shows the level of commitment and fight that one hopes would permeate itself throughout the rest of the team, in the battles to come.
GRADE: A
CARL HOOPER:
Hooper's final World Cup is one that he would rather forget. Returning to the premier stage as captain after pulling out of previous World Cup engagements, Hooper must have been hoping for at least a Super Six appearance. Instead this became a tournament where many questioned Hooper's leadership abilities and big game temperament. The truth is, even though Hooper is one of the best ODI players in the modern game, his wondrous skills have eroded somewhat. Perhaps the time has come for Hooper to pull out of ODI cricket and concentrate strictly on Test cricket. Hooper's decision-making was further hampered by the lack of variety in the West Indian attack and many times did not use the right bowlers in the right positions. Coming off knee surgery which must have added somewhat to his misery, Hooper struggled with the bat, and nothing highlighted his struggles more than the Sri Lanka game when, with Sarwan just carted off on a stretcher, Hooper departed first ball up. This was the perfect opportunity for Hooper to stand and deliver. It would have resonated among the young players, but yet again, he failed to deliver. He did bowl well and took a few wonderful catches.
GRADE: D
SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL:
Mr Dependable delivered yet again. Against South Africa, when Lara was finding his touch, Chanderpaul kept things going brilliantly, and against Sri Lanka, with the West Indies innings in tatters, he provided the needlework to knit it back together. Many thought he should have gone on, but such was the confusion in the West Indies camp, he may not have even known that Sarwan was back from the hospital and available to bat again. Chanders was one of the few bright spots of the World Cup campaign. Not much flair, not a whole lot of panache, just solid dependability. As usual.
GRADE: A
RICARDO POWELL:
Started wonderfully against South Africa with 40 off 18 balls, and ended looking like an overmatched novice against the wily Muralitharan. In between, when the West Indies were fighting back against New Zealand, Powell again was overmatched by the bowlers. Powell fielded efficiently and took a few good catches. However, if he is to play at this level and probably force himself into the Test team, Powell will have to learn how to defend, and pick the right balls to hit. Powell's problem is that he seems to think that there is only one way to bat, and until he realizes that some situations require an approach other than hitting the cover off the ball, it would be foolhardy for the West Indies to continue risking him in crucial games. That said, Powell did provide the necessary fireworks and a boost at the bottom of the batting order. Now if he can work on his defense, he will be a fixture in the team for years to come.
GRADE: B-
* TOMORROW: Ratings for the wicket-keeper and the bowlers.