'Horses for Courses' Call for a Spinner

West Indies duly lost the first test in Guyana Sunday because they failed to compete in the first session of the game on the first day on Thursday after they had won the toss on a good pitch.

That in the end was the difference despite the fact that five wickets crumbled for 17 on the fourth morning on Sunday.

Sunday's collapse has to be put in the context that three of the five were frontline batsmen incapacitated by injury, and that the West Indian last three are essentially rabbits.

It is not the dramatic fourth morning that hurt West Indies bad. It was the first morning.

After that first difficult session on day one, not helped by poor umpiring, when five wickets fell, West Indies matched the Aussies and showed good character in playing competitive cricket.

It was a disappointing loss -- but not a disgrace -- and the West Indies can take many positives going into the second test next weekend in Trinidad.

It is clear that this West Indies team can compete with the Australians. They have shown it in different ways during the fest test.

There is no doubt the batting is capable of delivering once it disciplines itself, though some tinkering and re-thinking might have to be done about the bowling.

There are likely to be a few changes for the second test -- at least one, that of Ridley Jacobs, having been forced out through injury.

Carlton Baugh is set to make his debut as the replacement for Jacobs, but whether there should be other changes will be a debating point around the region for the next 24 hours.

In theory most of the guys should be given at least another chance, since one test is not enough to judge anyone.

However, the selectors will have to quickly correct the mistake they made in the first test -- the non inclusion of a spinner.

Sure there is no world class spinner in the Caribbean at the moment, but the same can be said for the fast bowlers anyway. And if we have to return to selector Vivian Richards' horses for courses theory -- a spinner should have played in Guyana, and now should play in Trinidad.

There are really two options on the face of it. Young Trinidadian Dave Mohammed, who is potentially the best among them, or Gareth Breese, who can be considered for his other ability of likely scoring useful lower order runs as well.

Indeed, with Carl Hooper now not available, generous consideration should be given on whether to play both Breese and Dave Bernard in a final eleven. The inclusion of both will in essence afford the team more depth in many areas, and give skipper Brian Lara better options.

Bernard is a genuine all-rounder who potentially can take useful wickets and score more than useful runs. He is worthy of a place as high as number six in this current order.

Of course, if Ramnaresh Sarwan is fit again he will definitely have to play, and the selectors will have to think long and hard on whether to recall Chris Gayle.

Indeed Bernard should replace Pedro Collins in the bowling line up (though the Barbadian may be retained in the squad), immediately adding depth to the batting as well as in the quality of the fielding, while not losing anything with the bowling.

The inclusion of Breese might not be that straight forward, but in the absence of Hooper, he deserves a look-in. His inclusion will be perceivably be at the expense of Marlon Samuels, mainly because he gives the team a better bowling option.

We some how have to find a way to maximize our resources and to pick a combination that will add depth and give us better opportunities against genuine world champions.

My second Test 13: Brian Lara (captain), Devon Smith, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Daren Ganga, Shiv Chanderpaul, Dave Bernard, Carlton Baugh, Gareth Breese, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Jermaine Lawson, Pedro Collins.

* Hamlet Mark is editor-in-chief of CaribUpdate.com.