ODI No. 2: WI v NZ: Taupo - A Review

There are at least three things that were so very obvious, if one really looked, after the New Zealanders took a 2-0 lead over the West Indies in this five match series.

Firstly, if you did not believe it, then you should. One day cricket is changed forever. Twenty years ago, Daniel Vettori, as an orthodox left arm leg break bowler, would not have been selected for his bowling, as fast bowlers ruled then. However, he was again the architect of the West Indies downfall. He bowled with tremendous guile, as he did in the first game. Here, though, he was that much better, attacking the batsmen by bowling straight at them. He actually teased the West Indian batsmen to try to dispatch him. None did.

8-1-24-4 were not just flattering figures. These did not come from a late West Indian slog. These figures were well worked out, and achieved, when the West Indies, in the forms of Jimmy Adams and Ricardo Powell, were trying to recover from the poor start the team had had which saw them to 31-3. By then, Brian Lara and the two openers, Sherwin Campbell and Ridley Jacobs had already departed. Vettori's "Man of the Match" effort was pure magic.

Secondly, there was a repeat of the first game in the second for the West Indies. Considering that "Olde Lang Syne" was sung almost a week ago now, deja vu is still with the West Indies. In the first game, the West Indies deteriorated from 111-1 in the 18th over to only manage 268-7 in 50 overs. In this 2nd game, the West Indies again only managed 42 runs in the last 10 overs, while losing five wickets. They moved from 150-5 in over 32 to the eventual 192 all out in over 42. It seems that when the going gets tough, when the pressure should be put mostly on the fielding side in the final 10 or so overs, the West Indies just cannot, or do not have the lower order batting skills, to implement this pressure. Less than 200 runs in 42 overs was again hopelessly inadequate, especially when that total was easily within grasp. One day cricket is a team game. The West Indies cricket team have got to remember this, if nothing else.

Finally, although suited more for one day cricket than Test cricket, the West Indies seem even to be having problems concentrating for the two and a half hours or so of each innings of a one day game. This is as a direct result of not playing, and thinking, Test cricket well. The quick assimilation of situations in one day cricket is as pertinent as centuries and five wicket hauls.

After the initial losses of wickets, the West Indies recovered well. Yet Ricardo Powell lost his head, and wicket, with an unnecessary stroke, given the situation at that time. Both he and Adams were controlling things well then.

To make things worse for the West Indies, the team strategy then lost its way. Nehemiah Perry should not have been sent in after Powell's dismissal, since he is, like Adams, more of a deflector than a hitter. A hitter, such as Merv Dillon or Franklyn Rose, should have been sent to help Adams. As it was, both Adams and Perry perished in quick order because of Perry's early presence, and non production at the crease. With both gone, the big hitting tail of Dillon and Rose especially had no reliable batsman to partner and guide them, and therefore fell away too.

2-0 down in a five game series is not easy to recover from. Having covered the tour of South Africa last year, where the West Indies lost 5-0 in Tests and 6-1 in One Day Internationals, I see very serious and obvious parallels here in New Zealand. Could it happen again to the West Indies? For the sake of the players and West Indian cricket overall, I sincerely hope not. Game 3 of this series will tell, at least should tell, the final story of effort, heart, determination and even the future of an important facet of present day West Indies cricket on the field of play!!