Back-up pain

Derby-It is a selection that is nothing less than a straight, head-tohead contest to determine who will support Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh in the fourth Test at Headlingley. While the two overloaded veterans are rested, all four of the younger fast bowlers are chosen for the only remaining first-class match before the Test, against Derbyshire starting here today.

With captain Jimmy Adams and Brian Lara also omitted and Shivnarine Chanderpaul's future on the tour dependent on the results of a further scan on his injured right forearm due today, the team is markedly short on batting.

But the exercise is principally to give Nixon McLean and Corey Collymore the chance to directly compete with Reon King and Franklyn Rose for places at Headingley where conditions traditionally suit fast swing and seam bowling.

In the match there against admittedly sub-standard opposition last month, McLean had seven wickets, Collymore four and Walsh six as Yorkshire were dismissed for 124 and 94.

King and Rose have been preferred in all three Tests to date and, although McLean's 24 wickets make him the highest first-class wickettaker on tour behind Walsh, he was also disappointing in his five matches in the triangular One-Day series.

Curtly Ambrose's pointed comment in a television interview last week that it was 'time for the youngsters to come through and take over the mantle but they're not ready' referred to the many who have had the chance in recent times and not those here alone.

His complaint that he and Walsh were still expected to do the bulk of the work is supported by the statistics of the series.

They have been called on for 230.5 overs between them, Rose and King for 132. Adams has simply been unable to place faith in the two younger men.

The most irritating aspect of the backup bowlers is that they have all shown their potential at Test level in the past but, in this series, Tests or One-Day, seem unable to put six successive balls roughly in the same spot.

Invariably, whenever they have come on, they have immediately released England from the pressure created by miserly spells by Ambrose and Walsh.

Ambrose is adamant that this is his last tour. Walsh has kept his cards close to his chest but has said he will not be far behind.

The toughest tour of all follows, to Australia for five Tests and another triangular One-Day series between November and February. It is not long for a new attack to take shape.

Even with Ambrose and Walsh available for the remaining two Tests of a series that is still level, West Indian prospects will continue to be handicapped if England batsmen can relax and score at will as soon as they come off.

As is routine procedure, the opposition at Derby will not be strong. But it will be enough to provide a guide for selection for Headingley.

The team: Sherwin Campbell (captain), Adrian Griffith, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Franklyn Rose, Nixon McLean, Wayne Phillip, Reon King and Corey Collymore.