WI v SA: First Test Report Card
It looked like a lost cause from the get-go when South Africa took complete control of the first day's play and threatened to humiliate the touring West Indians.
Thanks to the genius of Brian Lara and gallant bowling from veterans Vasbert Drakes, Merv Dillon and Shiv Chanderpaul, the West Indies was able to muster some pride and take the match into the fifth day. But, moral victories mean very little on the big stage and there are worrying signs with the batting. Here are my player-by-player grades for the first Test:
WAVELL HINDS
After good performances against Zimbabwe with the bat, much was expected of Wavell Hinds in South Africa. However, we see why there is no substitute for sound technique and a level head. With Gayle injured, Hinds' failures in both innings became even more obvious. Against the fiery Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini, Hinds displayed non-existent foot movement and was made to look mediocre. To his credit, he was hard-working with the ball, especially on day two with the West Indies looking down the barrel of a massive South Africa first day total. He finished with match figures of 5-134 in 28.4 overs. A few overs too many considering the important role that he has to play as opener.
GRADE: C-
CHRIS GAYLE
Gayle unfortunately tore his hamstring on day one chasing a ball in the outfield. As such, fans missed out on what could have been a spectacular bat v ball confrontation between Gayle and the aggressive Nel. As it was, Gayle struck a few lusty blows off Nel in the second during his 26 run static cameo. When he regains health, I'm sure he will remember the graceless taunting that he was subjected to by Nel.
GRADE: Incomplete
DAREN GANGA
One of the few bright spots in the West Indies first innings, Ganga laboured without ever looking convincing for 60 runs off 202 balls. Such was his Sisyphean task that overnighting on 49, Ganga only managed eleven runs in the entire morning session on day three. The positive side of that was he hung in with Brian Lara while he (Lara) got settled and set about the task of chasing down the mammoth 561 set by the South Africans. Pinned in his crease in the second by Ntini, Ganga has a lot to do in the coming tests to prove that the selectors were justified in sticking with him through two tours to South Africa.
GRADE: C
RAMNARESH SARWAN
Sarwan seemed as uncertain against the South African quicks as he seemed assured against the Australian pacers in Antigua in the fourth test. Sarwan displayed a disconcerting uncertainty when dealing with short-pitched balls. On the fast bouncy wickets of South Africa, it will not get any better. Hopefully in the intervening period before the second test Sarwan would be able to get some runs under his belt in preparation for the second test which starts on Boxing Day.
GRADE: F
BRIAN LARA
What more could be written about Brian Lara's batting? A sublime 202 in the first, scoring about 74 percent of the runs in the partnerships that he was involved in, 72% of the runs that the WI scored on day three, the 28 run over off the hapless Peterson, the list is endless. Lara is undoubtedly the best batsman in the world; unfortunately he is playing on an overmatched team. Had Pollock accepted the simplest of offerings when Lara was on 16, this game could have ended early on day 4. I must however, take issues with some of Lara's decisions as captain, mainly bowling Hinds a bit too long, thus possibly not keeping him fresh for his appointed task of opener, and opting to go with the clearly unfit Corey Collymore instead of the recently arrived spinner Dave Mohamed.
GRADE: A
SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL
Chanderpaul went about his task in his usual phlegmatic manner that cricket fans the world over has grown accustomed to. Arguably demonstrating the greatest skill against the South African pace battery, Chanders was unlucky to get out in the first when a delivery rolled back on his stumps, but in the second, he compiled a wonderful 74 that should have been a century. Hopefully Chanderpaul retains this rich veil of form in the coming contests as the West Indies will need his bat and experience.
GRADE: A-
RIDLEY JACOBS
Jacobs's career has come full circle, returning to where it all began five years ago. In what is surely his last visit to the continent, I'm sure Jacobs does not want this tour to be as much of a nightmare as '98. Jacobs kept wicket capably, and battled manfully in the second innings in a useful partnership with Chanderpaul which extended the South African machine past lunch.
GRADE: C
VASBERT DRAKES
Drakes bowled well on day two of the Test, when he came back to be one of the more economical bowlers along with Dillon. Also acquitted himself well with the bat in the first innings. Whichever way you look at it, West Indies need to take 20 wickets to win, and Drakes as the bowler with the most South African experience, simply has to take wickets.
GRADE: D
MERV DILLON
A few months ago, I would not have been unhappy to see Dillon dropped from the West Indies team, instead after being sidelined by the selectors for a few games; Dillon seems to have returned with a renewed sense of purpose. Suddenly his bowling seems to have some bite to go with his menacing stare. On day one he was the only bowler that bowled with any control and put some pressure on the batsmen. Unfortunately things were not going so well at the other end. Hopefully Dillon will continue in this vein and take a few wickets going forward.
GRADE: B
COREY COLLYMORE
Sadly out of touch and nursing a hamstring niggle, Collymore should probably not have been picked. He struggled manfully, but was not close to being effective. He did however manage to produce a few good deliveries picking up three wickets in the match. Hopefully Collymore will be fully fit in time for the second, and produce the kind of spells that we have become accustomed to.
GRADE: D
FIDEL EDWARDS
For once Fidel Edwards was not outstanding. West Indian fans had become accustomed to him racking up five-wicket hauls but, despite bowling with great pace and heart, Edwards struggled to put the ball in the right spots consistently and at times appeared to be trying to bowl too fast. What was important though is that he never seemed to lose the heart for the battle and put his all into his bowling. This tour will be a great learning opportunity for Fidel.
GRADE: C