Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 25, 2012 Sports
Colin E. H. Croft
“And the last shall be first!” West Indies has turned its fortunes completely around, to tremendous
success, in ODI’s No. 2, No. 3 and especially No. 4, against Australia, after the dour failure in No. 1, with a team effort that has not been seen for many a year. It has been absolutely, truly amazing!
As one who always demands proper representation; win, lose, draw or tie; I, like supporters everywhere, am extremely pleased with the team’s shown determination and, surprisingly, cohesion, to put ICC rated No. 1, Australia, under extreme, severe external stimuli.
Already, there are massive suggestions of that dreaded sentence; “West Indies have turned the corner!” While, admittedly, one swallow does not a summer make, there is more bounce; overall aura; in West Indies, against Australia, that can actually take them in very new, unknown directions, for many players!
West Indies now goes into battle for the final ODI today (Sunday) at Beausejour Stadium, St. Lucia, knowing that they have that golden opportunity of beating Australia for the very first time in an ODI series since the dinosaur days of 1995. As that old Toyota advertisement said; “Oh, what a feeling!”
But this encasement of euphoria could easily become massive, throbbing exasperation later next week, when West Indies selectors have to name the team for Test No. 1. It is left to be seen how many Indian Premier League contracted players will actually make themselves available to play for West Indies!
With present form, Dwayne Bravo (Chennai Super Kings), Darren Bravo (Deccan Chargers), Andre Russell (Delhi Daredevils), Sunil Narine (Kolkata Night Riders), Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians), and Marlon Samuels (Pune Warriors) are all contracted to play in IPL 2012. This could still be a great mess-up!
But, ‘giving jack his jacket’, in all honesty, no superlatives could be enough for the effort, dynamics, togetherness and complete turnaround effected by West Indies. They seem totally reborn after ODI # 1. Captain Darren Sammy has shown imagination and subtlety, while his team has responded with style!
In ODI #4, Kieron Pollard was absolutely unbelievable! I have long advocated that he bat at No. 5, to give him time and space to be fully effective in the longer 50-over format. While he officially came in at No. 6, it was as if he had actually batted at No. 5, Dwayne Bravo not having bothered the scorers any.
Adrian Barath’s comeback, cocky innings of 41, along with hometown boy Johnson Charles’ uncharacteristically patient 37, may have even paved the way for Pollard, even though Marlon Samuels’ confusing 11 in 42 deliveries, and Darren Bravo’s 25 both seemed out of sync with the complete innings.
At 106-4, over # 26, on a Beausejour Stadium pitch that played beautifully – good pace and bounce; give and take for bowlers and batsmen who were prepared to be patient – West Indies were at crossroads. Another wicket then and the entire West Indies edifice could have fallen flat. Enter “The Big Man!”
Even with the loss of Darren Bravo, who, with all going on around him, seems strangely distracted in his batsmanship, Pollard pounced. By the end, Australia were so shell shocked that they probably thought that they had been hit by missiles fired from some unseen, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)!
This assault was aerial alright, but unlike any stealthy UAVs, this was no invisible-to-radar drone! Pollard’s massive frame was there in full dimensions, his maturity, power and sheer dominance absolutely electric. Aussie captain, Shane Watson, and team, had nowhere to run to; nowhere to hide!
102; 70 deliveries, five 4’s, eight majestic 6’s; tell the true story of Pollard’s complete pulverization. Beausejour is a relatively large cricket ground. Even with mis-hits, “KP’s” prowess had balls bouncing off roofs regularly. It was the most dynamic stroke-play seen since the halcyon days of Vivian Richards!
That Australia faltered, out for 252, even when their batsmen did get starts, was mostly a result of Pollard’s pounding, and being score-weary. 294-7 was way more than Australia expected West Indies to make on a pitch that averaged 238 per ODI innings. Australia were always way behind!
It was not only Pollard’s hitting that was impressive. His obvious comprehension of situations around him seemed vastly removed from that of some of his more senior team-mates. Not for nothing is he considered the best cricketing property anywhere in limited-overs crickets. He was truly magnificent!
Sunil Narine has been a revelation of unfathomable talent. In the four ODI’s to date, his figures are astounding; 10-0-24-1; 8-1-27-4 (Man of the Match); 9.5-1-32-3 and 10-0-21-1. Narine’s deliveries have been so masterly mesmerizing that he has been hit for only one six in nearly 40 overs. Astonishing!
ODI # 3 at Arnos Vale, St. Vincent, also showed the fight and verve that West Indies have found, and the bonds that seem to be evolving well in the team. Set a gettable, but improbable 221 to get on a pitch that averaged 202 for ODI innings, West Indies were tottering at 78-5; down and almost out!
Pollard and especially Andre Russell, who, when given the chance, has shown that he could be the match-winning all-rounder that West Indies have so long hoped for, even craved, then dug deep, bringing West Indies to 181-7. Russell made 37 in ODI # 3, augmented by a well-made 34 in ODI # 4.
That West Indies did not win ODI # 3 to go 2-1 up then was probably due to that lack of experience in winning. Having become accustomed to losing, it will take every extra strain of sinews to any present or future West Indies player to learn to win, but, in ODI # 3, at least they did not lose!
In ODI # 2, when Sunil Narine confused, baffled and bamboozled Australia with that “Man of the Match” winning 4-27, West Indies cricket must have drooled at the thought that here was a spinner that probably could hold his own, with Devendra Bishoo, in Test teams. That too would be a revelation!
After ODI # 5, there are two T-20Is, before the tougher stuff, that format that separates the men from the boys – Test cricket. It may not be the most fashionable, but as the recently retired Indian batting maestro Rahul Dravid reiterated, it is the format that makes history, a history that started back in 1877!
Along with the situation of not actually knowing who might be available to play, West Indies selectors, headed by Clyde Butts, would also be pondering about selecting two front-line spinners, Bishoo and Narine, for Test No. 1 at Kensington Oval, Barbados, well known for its extra pace and bounce.
Kemar Roach has also shown, like Narine, that he has grown almost beyond recognition. With Fidel Edwards fit, while playing T-20’s, the hope will be that these, with Dwayne Bravo, if available, Sammy and Russell, could form a formidable Test attack, one that could actually trouble Australia greatly.
But that is still a week or so away. Today, in ODI # 5, West Indies could finally take that 17 year weight off their backs with a win as resounding as they managed in both ODI # 2 and # 4. Enjoy!
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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