From the Bookmakers’ standpoint – the WICB will, I trust, forgive the utterance of the word Bookmaker at this sensitive time – the West Indies are probably the least fancied of the major cricketing nations to lift the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Form and discipline have deserted the team, some of our key players are either carrying injuries, recovering from injuries or are injury-prone and one, Marlon Samuels is embroiled in an off-the-field controversy that is only now beginning to unfold.
Add to that the fact that the team is in the habit of imploding under the slightest pressure and the picture does not appear altogether encouraging.
Still, whatever the weaknesses of the team, West Indians will abandon those very real considerations, thumb their noses up at the bookmakers and employ sentiment over pragmatism to install “our boys” as favourites to lift the title anyway.
That, of course, is a perfectly understandable position for West Indians to take since if we are to go with the odds that the bookies are likely to offer for a West Indies victory, the tournament would lose its significance for us even before a single ball is bowled.
Of course – and setting aside the “glorious uncertainties” factor – the West Indies are capable of raising their game to match the very best in the world “on the day” even though, if we are to win the tournament or even do reasonably well, one-off wins will hardly be enough. With all the handicaps with which the team is saddled the West Indies will have to be at their very best every time they take the field since it is only good all-round performances that win matches.
This assessment of our chances assumes firstly, that Ramnaresh Sarwan will be completely fit for the World Cup and, secondly, that Marlon Samuels – given the present Bookmaker controversy – will be selected to play.
The unavailability of either or both of these players will considerably deplete our already scarce resources and, given the respective roles that they will be asked to play, upset the balance of the team.
Even with a fit and settled team, there certain things that simply must go right for the West Indies if we are to “make a fist” of the tournament.
We must hope, first of all, that those players like Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo who are either injured or recovering from injury and those like Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Corey Collymore, who are prone to injury, enjoy an injury-free tournament. This, since the extent of “cover” in the event of injury is sufficiently limited to further reduce to overall quality of the team in the event of injury to our key players.
Secondly, there is the discipline factor. Except we bat, bowl and field at our very best throughout the tournament we could well make an early exit from the World Cup – which, of course, would be a disaster for the Caribbean – particularly since a comparative assessment of the collective talents of the major teams suggests that we are probably closer to the bottom of that particular pile than we are to the top.
It is hardly a secret that the West Indies have now become notorious for converting winning positions into lost matches. In the batting area we have the disconcerting habit of simply “losing our way,” collapsing so dramatically that they can be attributed to nothing more than either the abandonment of the agreed game plan or the absence of one in the first place. Our batsmen have demonstrated such an overwhelming propensity for simply throwing away their wickets – all at the same time – that batting collapses must to be one of our greatest worries as the tournament draws closer.
If our batting – again, on paper – is strong enough to cope with any of the attacks that it is likely to face, our own bowling attack does not inspire the greatest confidence. If the truth be told it comprises a mixture of inexperienced talent, unpredictable performers and capable but, nonetheless, part-time bowlers who could perform well one day and abysmally the next.
Discipline and consistency from each bowler – within the limits of his capabilities – is the very least that is expected.
Our fielding too has to be a cut above the average. The problem of course is that the team comprises good and poor fielders and in the particular case of Dwayne Smith, an outstanding fielder whose inconsistent batting performance probably makes him a doubtful starter.
Somehow, the crucial catches must be held, each run-out opportunity “gobbled up” and twos reduced to ones through aggressive fielding. There have been days when the quality of our fielding has suggested that we simply did not turn up to play.
“Playing for pride” could impact on the performance of the West Indies far more significantly than any of us suspect. Playing at home on the World Cup will stir the emotions in a manner that can simply bring out the best in players.
Playing at home and “playing for the Caribbean” could exert a sufficiently significant impact on the team’s discipline and its determination not to let the Caribbean down to make a difference.
And if we are to do well there are players upon whom we will have to depend heavily. Given his abilities. Chris Gayle is probably our key player. Gayle, like no other West Indian batsman, including Brian Lara, has demonstrated over time that he can bat for long periods and crucify the best of bowling attacks to say nothing about the fact that himself and Samuels will probably have to do the bulk of the slow – not spin but slow – bowling.
Chanderpaul, is of course, another vital player if only because of his proven ability to keep his wits about him when others simply throw caution to the winds. Chanderpaul can provide that run cushion that we will probably need from time to time to get us over the line.
On the threshold of his retirement from the game Lara may well have a personal plan for the World Cup. If he wants to go out on a high note – and there can surely be no higher note than lifting the World Cup at home – he will be seeking to perform the kind of heroics that he alone is capable of. My hope is that he is physically up to the rigors of what will be a demanding tournament as he approaches the end of his playing career.
Each player will, of course, have his own responsibility to shoulder. We will have to be prepared for the possibility of top order collapses and the likes of Samuels, Bravo and Denesh Ramdin will have to provide the support if, and when, that eventuality arises. The bowling discipline and experience of Collymore could prove crucial in an attack that may well be vulnerable while the known all-round performances and total commitment of Bravo may be exactly what counts during critical periods of some of the matches. While the team will be tested collectively each player could face his own moment of truth during the tournament.
There is no room for inept performances among our bowlers. Three terrible overs can make a difference and this is where our frontline bowlers – which line-up will, presumably, include Taylor, Collymore and Bradshaw, will perform well. The economy rate of the support bowlers – Bravo, Gayle and Samuels – will also have a critical bearing on the outcomes of games.
Since our batting is our greater strength the West Indies should back its batting to win games. My own preferred squad therefore, is weighted in favour of batting. My choices also take account of the fact that we have no specialist genuine spinner nor do I believe that we should risk any of those around at the risk of weakening the batting. Accordingly my list of thirteen players to challenge for the 2007 Cricket World Cup would be Gayle, Devon Smith, Lara, Sarwan, Chandepaul, Samuels, Narsingh Deonarine, Dwayne Smith, Bravo, Ramdin, Bradshaw, Taylor and Collymore. My final eleven for the opening game would probably exclude Deonarine and Dwayne Smith.
