By Tony Becca, Senior Sport Editor
THE CARIB Beer Series gets under way today and cricket fans are looking forward to a close and exciting contest during which the four-day champions of the region will be crowned.
With the top 15 players, certainly according to the selectors, away at the World Cup and Marlon Samuels out of action, the best will not be on parade, that will affect the quality, and remembering the days of old when quality was guaranteed because of the presence of the best, that is somewhat disappointing.
The absence of the best, however, is a wonderful opportunity for the talented youngsters around, and hopefully they will rise to the occasion and by their performances, demonstrate to the world that West Indies cricket is really on the rise.
Batsmen like Christopher Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Samuels and Ricardo Powell, plus a fast bowler like Jermaine Lawson, have already given the world a hint of the class players West Indies cricket is again producing, and it is now up to the other youngsters, particularly those who would not have had it had the "big boys" been present, to grasp the opportunity and prove that when it comes to talent, the cupboard is full in the West Indies.
That responsibility rests particularly with the bowlers - and especially so with the fast bowlers.
After wondering, for a few years, where the next generation of great West Indies batsmen would be coming from, the fans are feeling good. Three youngsters - Gayle, Sarwan and Samuels - plus Hinds and to an extent Ricardo Powell who was hot for a brief moment, went cold but is warming up again, have stepped forward and said, "don't worry, we are here".
That, however, is not the case with the fast bowlers.
After wondering, also for a few years, where the next generation of great West Indies fast bowlers will be coming from, the fans are now really concerned.
Inspite of the potential of one like left-armer Pedro Collins, and probably because of the back injury to Corey Collymore, only Lawson has stepped forward.
As far as the spin bowlers are concerned, but for one series when legspinner Dinanath Ramnarine looked the part, not even one has stepped forward.
The West Indies need a few really fast bowlers, a few slow bowlers who really spin the ball, and it would be nice if a few step forward this season and say, "look no further, we are here".
The main interest in a tournament is usually who will win, and this one is no different. The successful teams, however, may well be the ones whose youngsters grasp the opportunity and who, in doing so, prove that West Indies cricket is really on the way back.
