By Tony Cozier
In KINGSTON
These are early days in a new era for both teams in the Test series that starts at Sabina Park this morning.
By the end of the third Test at Kensington Oval in just over a month’s time, Australia should know whether their reign over international cricket that has lasted since they came to the Caribbean in 1995 to end the West Indies’ equally long supremacy is under any threat.
And the West Indies should be nearer to detecting whether the end is in sight to their prolonged riches to rags story.
It is just over a year since two of Australia’s greatest bowlers, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, went into retirement, as did their tenacious opener, Justin Langer.
It is only a few months since their intimating batsman/wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist decided to join McGrath and Warne in the lucrative pension scheme that is Twenty20 cricket in the Indian Premier League.
As both Australia and the West Indies are aware, such sudden losses can be stunning setbacks to any team.
Australia took a decade to overcome the simultaneous retirements of Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh in 1983. The West Indies are still reeling from the exit from Test cricket of Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Jeffrey Dujon and Malcolm Marshall, all at the same time, in 1991.
