Sarwan makes the most of his luck

	Ramnaresh Sarwan: a newly converted fan of the referral system © Getty Images

Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan have watched West Indies sink to awful depths in recent years, but now they can help claw the team back towards respectability. They have shared many batting partnerships together and if their unbeaten stand of 142 is transformed into something even more substantial, maybe the Caribbean public will start believing again.

Sarwan is back in the ranks these days having lost the captaincy in 2007 and giving up the vice-captaincy for "personal reasons" last year. He went through a lean run on the recent tour of New Zealand and has begun this home season with a few mutterings over his form. Those mutterings could have turned louder if he hadn't been reprieved on 5 when Tony Hill reversed his lbw decision on the basis of advice from the TV umpire, Daryl Harper.

"I did say a couple of days ago that I needed a bit of luck on my side and today I was fortunate enough to get that," he said with a grin. "I'm not a big fan of it [the system], we played with it in New Zealand and it was a bit confusing, but today I'll take it.

"It was 50-50 to be honest, I felt the pain in my knee and that is why I asked Chris about it, how it looked, and he said it was a bit close. I thought I would try [to refer it] because in my mind it was a bit high."

Gayle took over the captaincy from Sarwan during the last tour of England in 2007, after Daren Ganga's brief inter-regnum. Sarwan was injured during a record innings-and-283-run hammering at Headingley - arguably the lowest of West Indian lows - but since then fortunes have begun to improve.

While most people involved with the England team were losing their heads during the Stanford week in Antigua, Gayle was exuding calmness and composure. It was a trait that won his team the jackpot of US$20 million. He admitted after the Stanford final that he'd actually been a bag of nerves with so much money at stake, but the key was he kept all that hidden and on the outside appeared in complete control. England have not yet been beaten in the same way at Sabina Park - they have three days to turn their fortunes around - but Gayle's performance over the opening two days has set a perfect tone for West Indies.

He was quick in the field to spot a slow pitch and introduce his spinners into the attack and then he was even quicker to take the initiative with the bat, driving Andrew Flintoff's second ball back over his head for a breathtaking six. Two more maximums followed in what was a curious innings of extremes, ranging from mighty blows to studious defence. But it was the fact that he married the two successfully which was the noticeable factor, because control at the crease has not always been Gayle's forte.

The captaincy, though, has brought out a new, mature side to Gayle, which was on show during the Stanford tournament and has brought a sense of stability back to the team. And if he can bring the best out of his team-mates his job will be made that much easier. An in-form Sarwan would be a major step.

"Since I came back from injury I've had two series, one against Sri Lanka and one against Australia and I thought I did pretty well," said Sarwan. "Unfortunately, I didn't keep up the pace and I thought it was a bit of a backward step. I've had two weeks to reflect on my game after coming back from New Zealand. I tried to put in a bit of work although I couldn't do much because of the rain. I just wanted to start the series really well and hopefully carry on the same sort of form I've started with here."

Sarwan, though, did sound a cautionary note that will ring true with many West Indies fans. "I think we are in a pretty good position but we have seen before that we have collapsed. It is important that myself and Chris go on and get big scores and also important that whoever follows try to form partnerships. That is going to be the key for the rest of the innings." A success-starved region watches in anticipation.