Oval In A Spin

In a reflection of the changed times, the West Indies will go into a Test at Kensington Oval on Thursday with a wrist spinner for the first time in 25 years.

And there may even be two in the third Test against South Africa.

Dinanath Ramnarine, whose leg-breaks and googlies have given the attack favourable balance in the Cable & Wireless Series, is certain to be the first of his kind to bowl in a Test at Kensington since David Holford took five for 23 in an innings against India in 1976.

He has been joined in the squad of 13 for the third Test by Dave Mohammed, aged 21 after three first-class matches.

A fellow Trinidadian who deals in the art of deception with his left arm, Mohammed was unknown before he took a wicket with his first ball in first-class cricket seven weeks ago in the Busta Cup. He quickly impressed the selectors with his crafty bowling and enthusiastic attitude. Even if he is not in the starting 11, he is one for the future.

As a result, the squad has been limited to three fast bowlers.

The giant Cameron Cuffy, 31, has been recalled for the first time since January 1997 for his fourth Test. He last played, as a replacement for Kenny Benjamin, against Australia at Adelaide.

He replaces another Vincentian, Nixon McLean, who did little in the first two Tests or the 17 he has played since 1998, and supercedes Reon King on comparison of their performances for the Board XI in the three-day match against the South Africans that ended yesterday.

However, Mohammed is the surprise choice. He delivers with the opposite hand to Ramnarine. So his stock ball, the chinaman appropriately named after another Trinidadian left-hander of the 1930s, Ellis Achong spins into right-handed batsmen, the googly turns away.

The last of his type to play for the West Indies was the late Inshan Ali, another Trinidadian who played the last of his 12 Tests in 1976.

Mohammed has been chosen on the evidence of his bowling in his debut season. He was clearly on trial for the Board XI over the past three days, taking three wickets and attracting the close attention of the tourists' video camera.

As impressive as Mohammed has been in his cricketing infancy (16 wickets at under 15 runs each), it is inconceivable that even selectors bold enough to thrust Marlon Samuels, 19, into the fray in Australia last December, after seven first-class matches, would include him in their final 11.

It is not so long ago that West Indies chose four fast bowlers as a matter of course, more especially at Kensington, and left what change bowling was necessary to ball-skilled batsmen. Only once since 1978 have they gone in a Test with fewer.

Two years ago against Australia, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh were joined by the forgotten left-armer Pedro Collins. Nehemiah Perry completed the front-line bowling with his off-spin.

This time, the line-up is likely to be the venerable Walsh, the improved Merv Dillon, Cuffy and Ramnarine.

Captain Carl Hooper, Marlon Samuels and Chris Gayle are capable of providing steady off-spin and Wavell Hinds partnership-breaking medium-pace.

This is a vital match. South Africa lead the series of five Tests 1-0 and would virtually assure themselves of the Sir Viv Richards Trophy with a second victory to follow last Wednesday's at the Queen's Park Oval.