NatWest Series: Breathing room

London-The month-long break prior to the third Test that accommodates the triangular series of One-Day Internationals has evoked contrasting reactions from England and the West Indies.

Stand-in captain Alec Stewart is concerned that the lengthy wait for the third Test will break England's momentum, now high after their narrow, come-from-behind victory in the second Test at Lord's on Saturday.

The West Indies welcome the interruption for at least two reasons.

It gives Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, their two most critical members, a welcome chance to rest aging bones and muscles after their exertions in the first two Tests.

And it buys time for captain Jimmy Adams and The Management team to deflect the disappointment and restore confidence among the players.

Ambrose has leave of absence to return to Antigua during the One-Day series, after which he is expected back refreshed and ready for the challenge of the last three Tests and, perhaps, even for a change of heart on his announced intention to retire at the end of the tour. Walsh, 37, is kept on as the one senior bowler but he should be rested as much as possible.

Both teams now enter the first triangular series in England since the series between England, Australia and South Africa in 1912.

It starts in Bristol tomorrow when the West Indies resume the battles against Zimbabwe they left off in the Caribbean in April with the first floodlit international in England. It ends with the final at Lord's July 22.

The West Indies switch back to two first-class matches against the counties before the third Test starts at Old Trafford, Manchester, on August 3.

By then, the euphoria generated in their country, starved for sporting success, by the sensational fightback at Lord's would have dissipated and the visitors would have time to regroup.

The West Indies have pulled off so many incredible victories in the recent past that it was inevitable one would eventually get away. It did at Lord's.

It's a new experience.

It is the first setback since the new leadership was installed last February with Adams taking over from Brian Lara as captain, Roger Harper replacing Sir Viv Richards as coach, and Ricky Skerritt appointed manager on Clive Lloyd's resignation. It represents the first genuine challenge.

Together, they have clearly instilled a new sense of purpose and discipline that were previously lacking.

They turned around the scarcely credible record overseas of ten consecutive Test defeats and, before Saturday, had recorded four wins and no losses in six Tests.

That Adams' new-look West Indies allowed the psychological superiority set up by the comprehensive innings' victory at Edgbaston and the sizeable first innings lead at Lord's to vanish in the space of a couple of hours on one spellbinding afternoon immediately raised all the old questions about the team's strength, mental even more than technical.

For the time being, they can put Test cricket behind them and turn their attention to the abbreviated form of the game.