A different Ball game (11 April 1999)

11 April 1999

A different Ball game

Garth Wattley in St Vincent

It is A different ball game that a capacity crowd is expected to see today at the Anos Vale Playing Field.

But while an expectant Windward Islands audience will come hoping to see some classic cricket, the Cable & Wireless one-day International teams of the West Indies and Australia will be playing today with eyes on tomorrow.

The next two weeks of this series, will be precious time for both sides. May's World Cup is looming. And for the Windies, these seven games are essentially seven steps to the Cup.

"We are not saying that it (the one-day series) is unimportant," head of selectors Michael Findlay told the media yesterday. "But we are saying that the World Cup is more important. We are saying the World Cup is the pinnacle of one-day cricket. Therefore, we're placing more emphasis on the World Cup."

The chairman's point of emphasis, while understandable, also betrays the problems of a team still trying to get itself together.

The 6-1 pummeling in South Africa answered none of the worrying questions that would have faced Messrs Findlay, Joel Garner and Joey Carew. At least not positively.

And they find themselves at the eleventh hour still in the midst of a desperate search.

"We are looking at all the players involved to see if we could mesh them together and get the best combination to play the best team in the World Cup. That realistically is our goal," Findlay says.

But the trio and captain Brian Lara will be hoping that some of their questions are answered today.

The home team will go into the match with a lineup that reads: Lara, Carl Hooper, Stuart Williams, Jimmy Adams, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Keith Arthurton, Sherwin Campbell, Phil Simmons, Hendy Bryan, Courtney Walsh, and Mervyn Dillon.

It is a unit that sees the introduction of the new-hard-hitting medium pacer Bryan, and the re-introduction of the old veteran Walsh.

Walsh was a surprise inclusion given Findlay's contention that the weary warrior must be treated with "kid gloves" in this frenetic version of the game.

But Walsh's presence may be to compensate in experience and economy for the loss of Ambrose through a knee injury, according to manager Clive Lloyd.

This opening game also gives Chanderpaul the opportunity to show how complete his rehabilitation has been from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Test series and prompted the belated attention of a New York specialist.

The "allrounders" Keith Arthurton, Phil Simmons and Bryan will be on display together.

Australian captain Steve Waugh will not feel compelled to experiment. In his own words: "These guys have probably played for 12 to 18 months together. We know each other's game well." Fine-tuning rather than fiddling will be the Aussies aim.

"Our main priority is to win the series. To do that we've got to win four of the seven games, " Waugh says.

"We knew they'd give us a run for our money in the Test matches. The one-day series I expect will be tough," the Australian captain adds.

"They've got some world class players and playing in front of home crowds makes a big difference."

Australia, however, will rest their class act, menacing pace ace Glenn McGrath.

But with a useful group of utility players to call on, the visitors should be no less a challenge for the homesters, even if swing bowler Adam Dale has been stricken with a chest ailment prompting homeward-bound Andy Bichel to be recalled.

The crowd could get a treat whoever plays, once the blanket of grey that enveloped Arnos Vale yesterday does not develop into something more ominous.

Just 100 tickets will be up for grabs this morning in the small stand at the southern, Bequia end. And the locals, their enthusiasm curbed little by the absence of a local boy or the prospect of watching Jimmy Adams and not Junior Murray behind the stumps, could get their money's worth. Especially if the play touches the heights attained in the drawn Test rubber.

Arnos Vale will certainly erupt if Lara runs riot again. But the crowd will be just as grateful for another show of Hooper's class, or better still, heroics from Lara's less illustrious troops. For the future's sake, the Vale may be praying for the latter.

Australia (from): Steve Waugh (capt), Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Michael Bevan, Darren Lehmann, Damien Martin, Brendon Julien, Tom Moody, Shane Lee, Shane Warne, Adam Dale.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)