Another moment of truth for West Indies cricket

By Winston McGowan

Today the West Indies begin another Test series, this time against Australia. This series will certainly be a moment of truth for West Indies cricket – a time when the true state of the regional game at the highest level and in its most important and instructive form will be revealed.

This rubber will be a moment of truth for the West Indies for several reasons. Firstly, the West Indies, though still ranked eighth in the International Cricket Council’s Test ratings, have shown at least a slight improvement in its performance in Test cricket recently. For example, it won a Test in South Africa for the first time in its tenth attempt dating back to 1998. This was one of the West Indies’ rare Test victories overseas against respectable opposition in the last ten years.

Furthermore, more recently the West Indies shared a series 1 – 1 with Sri Lanka. Though it was the first occasion the Sri Lankans won a Test in the Caribbean, the West Indies responded to this sound defeat in Guyana by gaining an impressive victory in the second Test in Trinidad by six wickets.

These two successes understandably have created a measure of optimism, however muted, among West Indies cricket officials in relation to the Aussie visit. Admittedly, however, in striking contrast to the past, they have not prompted officials to suggest that West Indies Test cricket has “turned a corner”. If the regional team performs well against Australia, such a claim no doubt will be made……