There's Hope on The Horizon

The West Indies team put up a much improved showing on the first day of the final test match at the ARG. While the West Indian supporter has much to cheer about after this showing, there are signs of a longer term revival that have been evident through the series. As with the West Indian decline during the 1990s, one suspects that the revival too is happening almost without being noticed.

The awesome strength of the Australian team, and the manner in which the West Indian bowling was put to the sword in the first three tests drew attention away from a West Indian batting revival of sorts. True, heavy defeats are not exactly the sign of a revival, but after a very long time, West Indian batsmen other than Lara and Chanderpaul have, at least for longish durations, looked world class. What is more heartening is the fact that these performances have been against a bowling attack that is not merely world class, but may in fact be one of the best in cricket history.

From being a batsman whose average was barely in the 20s, Darren Ganga scored two inspired centuries in which he scarcely put a foot wrong. He has regressed somewhat since the second test, with soft dismissals in this the first innings of the fourth test, but the man has truly arrived at test level. If centuries against Australia are to be given their considerable weight, Ganga should get plenty of runs against the other attacks.

Among the most disastrous happenings in the altogether forgettable 2001 series against Australia was the undermining of Sarwan's confidence, courtesy some express bowling by Lee. This was especially cruel because Sarwan at that time was the one West Indian batsman who looked like he could make the grade at test level. Without being spectacularly successful this time, Sarwan has definitely played the Australians with much greater confidence. The lack of a huge score against his name should frustrate anybody who wishes to see Sarwan take his place among the world's best batsmen. However, with age on his side, and with series against lesser teams on the horizon, this series should see the beginning of Sarwan's ascent.

Another revelation in the batting has been Devon Smith. Now, with a pair in Trinidad and with his less than perfect footwork, one can be less sanguine about Smith than about Ganga or Sarwan, but the youngster has made his debut against a team that gives absolutely nothing away, and his two half centuries should count as much as two centuries against any other team in international cricket today. Things can only get easier and with some more experience at this level, one can reasonably say that the 20 year old Smith has a future in international cricket.

Both Gayle and Samuels have also shown that they have talent, though at this time, both are making a speciality of dropping crucial catches. Another hour of defiance from Samuels may have saved the second test for the West Indies. The casual shot that he played not only cost the West Indies a chance to save the test, but has also seen Samuels lose his place for two tests which might otherwise have counted as invaluable experience against this powerful Australian team. Gayle, for his part, played two innings in the third test that should count as among the best in this series by a West Indian. Unfortunately for him, however, his dismissal for a second ball duck in the first innings of the fourth, combined with his dropped catch should raise question marks about his discipline as well. Something he looked ideally positioned to answer at the end of the previous test.

The question of who would replace Jacobs has been answered by the unheralded Carlton Baugh, who kept competently, if not spectacularly and whose batting showed definite potential. For a 20 year old who was not even the keeper for his native Jamaica, Baugh did all that was expected of him and more. With his performance, most West Indians can hope that they have seen the end of the recycling experiments with older keepers. Against teams that give him a little more slack, Baugh should be given the opportunity to score some runs and find his feet in international cricket.

From a West Indian standpoint, the sensational find of the tour has definitely been Jermaine Lawson. His hattrick in the third test along with his performance in the fourth should give him the confidence to be the spearhead of the West Indian attack. Hopefully, it should also show curators around the West Indies that they are sabotaging the game by preparing tracks such as the ones we saw in Barbados. With another partner of similar pace, Lawson can form part of a very potent attack. Admittedly, nothing like the attacks of the 1980s, but definitely better than anything the West Indies has fielded in the recent past.

The last inclusion among the list of players who give room for optimism may be a surprise, Omari Banks. Firstly, Banks shows signs of being a genuine spinner, who flights the ball and makes it bite and turn. He may not be able to run through an Indian team, but he will surely be useful against other teams. Secondly, going by whatever brief glimpse one got of him at the batting crease, Banks showed surprising ability. Again, considering the caliber of the team that this was against, one should not be surprised to see Banks promoted up the batting order at some point. Should he be groomed properly, he shows definite signs of donning the mantle of the allrounder. The emergence of someone like Omari solves several problems for the West Indies at once. Firstly, it gives them the allrounder whom they have never had for a long time (counting Hooper as a specialist batsman), secondly, it also gives them a genuine spinner who, at the very least, will provide variety in an attack that should necessarily be based on pace.

As Lara pointed out, the West Indians are not going to be playing Australia every day. With opportunities in the offing against other teams, there is reason to hope that these players will take them and form the nucleus of a team for the future.