A thorny issue: Let's be happy for Windies

Nobody can take anything away from the West Indies redemption journey to Zimbabwe. All the talk about the strength about the opposition is nuisance talk.

What if that same opposition had beaten us, would it have been said that we were the worst team in the world? And even if you want to ague that Zimbabwe were not at full strength, the same can be said for the West Indies who were almost crippled by an unprecedented state of injuries with no less than five players being forced to return home early.

Even so, success or failure has to be placed within a particular context. When for argument's sake did the West Indies last win a Test series? We would have to go back to more than a year and three-Test series.

In these circumstances, it is not unthinkable that these teams would begin to lose as much hope as their supporters. In between we have lost the heart of our pace attack with the retirement of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.

In fact, it was the first time in a decade that the West Indies embarked on any series, home or away without these stalwarts.

No success overseas

More to the point, it is noteworthy that even with them in the team the West Indies had not managed any recent success on overseas tours.

The team endured whitewashes by the like of Pakistan (1997), South Africa (1998-99), New Zealand (1999-2000) and Australia (2000-2001). The team was also whipped 3-1 by England last year.

What then was there to suggest that better would come in Africa? The fact that they were playing lowly Zimbabwe? Oh, no!

Lest we forget that Zimbabwe had just fought back to show their improving mettle against India and drew their home series.

Further, this was the first time that a Test series was being played in Zimbabwe's winter, conditions so foreign to our players that they might have found it inexplicable themselves why the West Indies Cricket Board had agreed to accept such a tour.

Let us go further. There was every reason to believe that the West Indies' horrid overseas run would continue after their less-thanconvincing start to the tour. They just held off the Zimbabwe Academy XI in their first game and were then humbled by a district union team that included several players who were more candidates for pension cheques than a recall to international cricket.

Instead they went on to win the tri-nations limited overs competition beating favourites India in the final. Of course the icing on the cake was the 1-0 Test series win over Zimbabwe, their first overseas Test series win in many a year.

In addition, there was notable improvement in the performance of the young players especially opener Chris Gayle who won the MVP award for his consistently good batting. Bowlers like Colin Stuart and Neil McGarrell were also impressive. The leadership of Carl Hooper was another highlight and was instrumental in what appeared to be a united effort.

What is there about any of the above to opposed? I agree that one swallow does not make a summer but for now we can be pleased with the encouraging signs shown in Zimbabwe and we can only hope that they continue to improve in forthcoming series.