Tony Becca
THE MAKESHIFT West Indies lost their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka 2-0, and all things considered, that was not too bad a performance. In fact, it was better than many expected.
Remembering, for example, that they lost the first Test by six wickets and the second by 240 runs, the West Indies performance was no worse than it was in 2001 when they were at their best and lost all three Test matches - one by 10 wickets, one by 131 runs, and one by 10 wickets.
Remembering that Brian Lara scored 688 runs in six innings at an average of 114.66 during that previous series in Sri Lanka and that the West Indies, batting first on both occasions, scored 448 in the first Test and 390 in the third and lost by 10 wickets both times with Sri Lanka needing to score only six and 27 in both second innings, the West Indies performance this time around was probably even better.
Also, in 2001 Sri Lanka, replying to the West Indies 448 in the first Test and to their 390 in the third Test, rattled up 590 for nine declared and 627 for nine declared.
This time around Sri Lanka's best was 375 in their last innings, and that after scoring 285 in the first innings of the first Test they dismissed Sri Lanka for 227 and also dismissing them for 150 in the first innings of the second Test. The West Indies bowling, led by pacers Jermaine Lawson - four and four in the first Test, Daren Powell - five for 25 in the first innings of the second Test and also by Tino Best, was certainly better than it was then when pacers Mervyn Dillon and Pedro Collins and legspinner Dinanath Ramnarine struggled to take a wicket.
And lest it be forgotten, the West Indians of 2005 were better than the West Indians of 2001 in the field. Their ground fielding was wonderful and, on top of that, they took some splendid catches.
NO BETTER
Although, but for Lara, the West Indians of 2001 were no better, the big disappointment of 2005 were the batsmen.
But for captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the batsmen were no match for left-arm swing bowler Chaminda Vaas and offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan. In fact, it was worse than that. The batting of the West Indies was embarrassing.
Xavier Marshall, Sylvester Joseph, Ryan Ramdass and Runako Morton, and but for one occasion each when they looked fairly capable, also Denesh Ramdin and Narsingh Deonarine were totally out of their depth.
It was as if they had never before in their life seen a ball swing, it was as if they had never before seen a ball spin so much and to Vaas and Muralitharan, they were like sitting ducks.
That was the disappointment of the West Indies in Sri Lanka, and regardless of what some may say, remembering that with the exception of Lara the West Indians of 2001 fared no better, it underlines the poor state of West Indies cricket.
For those who do not remember, back in 1978-79 when 18 of the region's best players were employed to Kerry Packer and were in Australia, the West Indies went to India. They played six Test matches, they lost only one - the fourth Test in Madras by three wickets and against a pacer like Kapil Dev and three spinners like Venkataraghavan, Bedi and Chandrasekhar. Their main batsmen, Alvin Kallicharran, Larry Gomes, Basil Williams and Faoud Bacchus, matched the best of India while scoring centuries - including a double century by Bacchus at Kanpur.
