Bat-tle Stations! (17 April 1999)

17 April 1999

Bat-tle Stations!

Haydn Gill in Port-of-Spain

The razzmatazz of the Cable & Wireless One-Day International series between West Indies and Australia moves further south today with both teams eyeing the form of their captains.

Brian Lara, arguably the most devastating batsman of the modern era, and Steve Waugh, undoubtedly the most dependable, made no telling contributions in either of the first two matches in St. Vincent or Grenada where the spoils were shared.

The eyes of the two captains would have opened up when they arrived at the Queen's Park Oval yesterday to see what seems to be an ideal batting surface for this weekend's successive matches.

"In Trinidad, when there are back-to-back matches, there is normally a bit of moisture in the pitch on the first day and it flattens out on the second day. But, having a look at it today (yesterday), it seems to be very good for batting," Lara said.

"Hopefully, I'll win one toss. I haven't won any for the series, but it's important that I try to win one."

West Indies failed to pass 250 in any of the first two matches and their captain was quick to acknowledge that it was an area to concern.

"What is most important is our batting; we've struggled both times. Our main focus is to get as many batters to practise as possible to ensure that we can beef up in that area," Lara said.

With that in mind, they have boosted their batting. Wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs, whose nose injury reduced him to being a spectator in the first two matches, returns in place of fast bowler Reon King.

The batting is so top-heavy that the left-handed Jacobs will come in at No. 9 and only two fast bowlers, Curtly Ambrose and Hendy Bryan, will play.

The tourists have also lengthened their batting by including experienced all-rounder Tom Moody. He and Glenn McGrath are in for fast bowlers Brendon Julian and Paul Reiffel.

Lara, reverting to the No. 3 position that he has often avoided in recent times, was out for 16 at Arnos Vale (where the West Indies won by 44 runs) and fell for nine at the new Queen's Park Stadium (where Australia triumphed by 46 runs). Both dismissals were instigated by trigger-happy shots.

Steve Waugh, too, has perished with two uncharacteristic loose drives.

While the world's two top-ranked batsmen were out of it, lesser lights were making more of an impact.

Sherwin Campbell and Jimmy Adams, their styles not considered ideal for the shorter version of the game, featured in West Indies' most significant partnerships in both matches, while Darren Lehmann and Michael Bevan set up Australia's victory in Grenada with a record Aussie fifth-wicket partnership of 172.

Both teams come to Queen's Park this weekend hoping that their captains provide something special and a two-match advantage ahead of Wednesday's fifth match of the series.

There is also the incentive for Lara to provide his hometown worshippers with an international century at Queen's Park Oval for the first time in four years. His only previous one was an exhilarating 139 against the same opponents in the 1995 series which the West Indies won 4-1.

Waugh is not one to destroy any attack and his record in One-Day Internationals is not as impressive as his Test one. But the experience of 253 matches and the fact that he has passed 50 on 35 occasions is enough to suggest he can play just as crucial a role as Lara.

But while a lot always seems to revolve around Lara, Waugh can depend on any of his top six and even the lower-order to provide useful runs, as Lehmann and Bevan did in Grenada.

And, Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist, the most consistent limited-overs pair these days, can launch the innings with a positive start. Then there's Ricky Ponting or Damien Martyn.

West Indies - Brian Lara (captain), Sherwin Campbell, Stuart Williams, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Carl Hooper, Jimmy Adams (vice-captain), Keith Arthurton, Phil Simmons, Ridley Jacobs, Hendy Bryan, Curtly Ambrose; 12th man: Mervyn Dillon; reserves: Nehemiah Perry, Courtney Walsh.

Australia - Steve Waugh (captain), Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Tom Moody, Shane Lee, Shane Warne, Damien Fleming, Glenn McGrath; reserves: Brendon Julian, Paul Reiffel, Ricky Ponting.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor, Basil Morgan;
TV replays: Clyde Cumberbatch; reserve: Terrance Birbal;
Match Referee: Raman Subba Row.

Start: 9:35 a.m.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)