Windies: A hint of optimism?

I have deferred this article for about a month now, as I continued to track the recent progress of the West Indies. Gone are the days when they used to be world beaters; but also gone are the days when they used to be complete pushovers. Stats do not lie; they have only won 8 of their last 80 Tests (before the first Test at Lord’s). But over the last couple of months, they have manfully shown resistance in all departments of the game. They have also lost three out of their last four Tests, but in all three of those, they have had chances of winning.

Their captain, Darren Sammy, is an honest trier. He plays as a specialist bowler, he is not a strike bowler, but ties one end up. He is a very good slip catcher and a slogger lower down the order. One criticism maybe that, he gets out trying to clear a deep fieldsman, but for all the problems that West Indies cricket finds itself embroiled with, he is the right man to take them forward. The reason is simple – only one member of the current Test team is a sure starter, but Chanderpaul at 37, does not have too many years left in him. Darren Bravo has got tremendous potential, and his time will come. Their keeper is not yet established, while Edwards and Roach have fitness concerns. The less said about the current top three, the better.

So, why do I see an optimistic future? The biggest reason is that the senior players have realized that they need to stand up and take responsibility. Gayle will soon return and take his rightful place in the top order. Kirk Edwards averages close to 50, but he should be batting at 5. Barath, Bravo and Samuels can form a formidable top 6. They also have young batsmen in reserve, such as Brathwaite, Deonarine and Powell.

Coming to their bowling, there are blessed with some genuine quick bowlers again after a drought. Roach, Edwards and Gabriel looked ferocious in the first Test at Lord’s while they also have spinning talent in Bishoo, Shillingford and the soon to debut Sunil Narine. All they need is one big Test win for them to turn the corner. The entire sporting world is waiting for the Calypso kings to mesmerize once again.