West Indians dealt another blow

It was another predictable day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where West Indies played out its final preparatory match before next week's first Test against Australia.

As the tourists completed their third sub-200 total from four first-class innings played on this tour so far, a spectator fanned a banner pleading "Bring back Viv". But the great Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards was nowhere in sight. And just as last week was Western Australia's opportunity to upstage these once-feared tourists, so this week became Victoria's chance to annihilate them.

The result for the Windies: a seven-wicket loss in Perth, followed by today's innings and sixty-three run drubbing inside three days by the bottom-ranked Australian domestic side. And both coach Roger Harper and captain Jimmy Adams are at a loss for explanations.

"I have no explanation. It has been a disappointing performance to put it mildly. I'm not one to get angry but I'm very very disappointed," said Harper.

"It is very very frustrating because I know we are capable of a lot better cricket than we have displayed here and as we displayed in Western Australia. But it's difficult to put an exact finger on it as to what will bring out the consistency we're still striving for. Physically, I have no doubt that we're working a lot harder, a lot better in terms of preparation. We're still trying to get the precise, definite answer," he said.

Asked about what went wrong with the team's batting - they were bowled out for 167 in the first innings and 114 in the second - Adams was direct.

"I won't take very long to describe, it's just not good enough," he said. "The bottom line is that we're just not batting as well as we should be batting. We're just not doing the basic consistent things. It's just not happening."

For Victorian captain Darren Berry on the other hand, the match couldn't have gone better. His bowlers began well in the first innings under overcast conditions on a helpful pitch, his batsmen continued the good work by amassing 7/344, and the Bushrangers finally tasted their opening first-class victory of the season. To top it all off, Berry himself claimed his four hundredth first-class catch today.

"I think everything went right for Victoria. I think the toss was the start because it was a difficult wicket to bat on. I thought our bowlers bowled well and it was a good team effort. I don't think it's my position to comment on how the West Indies played, I'm more concerned about how Victoria played and I was extremely happy with our performance," he said.

The stars for Victoria were twenty-year-old paceman Mathew Inness (9/73 for the match, including career best figures of 6/26 in the first innings) and twenty-five year-old batsman Brad Hodge (134*), who was forced to retire hurt overnight after a Courtney Walsh delivery left his thumb severely bruised.

There were other positives too. The patient batting of Jason Arnberger (99) in the first innings. The bowling of first-class debutant Ben Oliver (2/13 off six overs in the second innings, including the crucial wicket of Brian Lara). The successful return from injury of Damien Fleming (2/27 off ten overs today). And of course, the clever bowling of Test spinner Colin Miller (3/26 off 15.3 overs).

After losses in the opening two Pura Cup matches, Berry believes today's win will give the Victorians the confidence and inspiration they need for the next round of domestic matches.

For the West Indians, the result simply exacerbates their woeful start to this Australian tour. With the first Test just four days away, the search is on for that elusive answer to their problems.

Adams thinks the answer lies within. "I don't think it's so much a technical problem. I think what we have to do is to do whatever we can amongst ourselves to reinforce to the team that the players here are good players, quality players. I think they're players that have done enough often enough, and ones who you figure will always carry that self belief. There might be a few younger players where it's up to the rest of us to keep reinforcing that 'You are good enough and you're here because you're good enough'."

Adams says the most important thing is for the team to come together to solve the problems. "I think everybody has a role to play. I think even players who are struggling and might be young players, they still have a role to play. It's not going to happen because one man stands up, it's going to happen because the whole team comes together. And as well, you can't get away from the fact that it is going to require discipline."

At the same time, coach Harper says the team still has time to realise its potential. "I still think we have it in us to play good cricket and precisely because of our unpredictability, it's possible for us to get thrown out there and string it together. And hopefully we can achieve it come the Test match," he said.