By Tony Becca - From The Boundary 
THE West Indies enter the fourth and final Test against Australia at the Antigua Recreation Ground on Friday, and regardless of what captain Brian Lara may say, the West Indies must be praying that they will win it.
After losing all three so far, if the West Indies lose again, it will be a 4-0 whitewash.
Although their recent record shows them losing all three to Pakistan in 1997-98, all five to South Africa in 1998-99, both to New Zealand in 1999-2000, all five to Australia in 2000-01, all three to Sri Lanka in 2001-02, and both to Pakistan in 2002, failing to even draw a Test match away from home is totally different from failing to do so at home.
Once West Indian blood runs in their veins, therefore, once there is pride in performance, pride in one's self, and pride in representing the West Indies, the players must be concerned about a whitewash - about a team, regardless of how good it is, coming into their house and beating them every time.
The problem is that pride may not be enough.
Although this Australian team is not the best the world has ever seen, it is strong, really strong, and that is one reason why they won the first Test by nine wickets, the second by 118 runs, and the third by nine wickets.
Another reason why Australia have been so dominant, however, is because the West Indies team is weak.
Although the batting depends so much on Lara when up against quality bowling, it is reasonable. The bowling, however, is easy pickings for good, experienced batsmen, and the fielding is just as bad if not worse.
Is it that the players lack talent? Not at all. While some do lack good discipline and may never fulfil their potential, they are talented.
There are two problems, however. One is that their talent has not yet developed into skill, and although they are the best and nothing can be done about it, the other is that there are too many young and inexperienced players in the team.
In the past, young players used to get into the team one or two or may be three at a time, they used to be guided by the senior players, and when they had problems they could look around them for help or just watch and learn.
That is not so today. There are so many youngsters and few experienced ones that when the youngsters look around, most times they will see others like them - young players who also need help.
Looking at the age of those representing the clubs and the territories, that is not the fault of the selectors. It is the fault of those who did nothing to protect West Indies cricket when the West Indies team was the best, and all that anyone can do at this point is hope that these youngsters will last the course - that they will not be punch-drunk by the time they reach the age of maturity and are well experienced.
You never can tell in this game of cricket, and who knows, the West Indies could well spring a big surprise, draw the match, and prevent Australia from fulfilling their ambition.
Looking at the two teams, however, that does not seem possible - not when you see Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Daren Lehman and Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Glen McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Steve Bichel and Stuart MacGill representing Australia and Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Daren Ganga, Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Carlton Baugh, Vasbert Drakes, Jermaine Lawson, Tino Best and Omari Banks, plus 12th man Marlon Samuels, representing the West Indies.
Apart from Ponting being the vice-captain of Australia and Sarwan the vice-captain of the West Indies, apart from the strokes that have led to the dismissal of so many of the West Indies batsmen, and apart from the simple catches that have been dropped, when you look at the players, at their age and experience, but for the presence of Lara and Chanderpaul in the West Indies team, it is like men playing against boys.
