From Garth Wattley in Port of Spain
In 2003, Steve Waugh’s Australians were denied a Caribbean whitewash by the West Indies’s successful world record pursuit of 418 in Antigua.
In 2004, Michael Vaughan’s Englishmen had a clean sweep snatched from them by Brian Lara’s world record 400 not out also at the Antigua Recreation Ground.
Starting today at the Queen‘s Park Oval, in April 2008, Chris Gayle and his unit face the challenge of stopping Mahela Jayawardene’s Sri Lankans from completing a 2-0 series shut out.
“They’ve got everything to lose, we’ve got everything to gain,” was how Jayawardene aptly summed up today’s match to the media yesterday.
“We’re up against it,” Gayle himself admitted.
“A lot of people have created history against West Indies. And we will try and stop that…Hopefully we can put up a good fight.”
More than just a good fight will be needed.
The steady effort coming from behind that the home team put up a week ago at the National Stadium in Providence was not adequate to prevent the Sri Lankans from claiming their first-ever victory on Caribbean soil.
Faulty catching in Sri Lanka’s first innings and indisciplined batting in both their turns at the crease, especially in the first one, had doomed the Windies on a docile pitch.
But in this series decider; this game which could make more history; Gayle’s men just cannot afford too many false steps. Especially with the potential for a result in the pitch.
Up to yesterday, there was a generous coating of grass on the strip being used for this match. The sight was welcomed by both captains.
“They’ve (West Indies) been asking for a quicker wicket, let’s see how they go with that,” Jayawardene noted.
“Looks a good wicket, bit of grass in it, firm. Looks a good Test wicket.It looks similar to what we played the three first round games here in the World Cup. It did have a bit in it for the quicks initially but once you settled down it becomes a very good batting wicket.”
A surface with something in it for the seamers would certainly encourage the WI new ball pair of Jerome Taylor and Daren Powell. And Gayle seemed to be leaning towards playing his fastest bowler, Fidel Edwards, rather than the region’s most prolific bowler this season, off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth.
“A bit more extra bowling (will) be more helpful for us, the likes of Fidel or so forth,” the Windies captain said.
However, any help the West Indies faster men get, could also be exploited by Chaminda Vaas. His outstanding left-arm swing bowling has proved something of an unfathomable mystery for Gayle and his team as a whole.
Going into this match, Vaas had taken 51 West Indian wickets in just eight Tests at the impressive average of 15.39. Ten of those came in his Man-of-the-Match First Test performance.
And with Muttiah Muralitharan not needing any particular surface to set upon batsmen, Sri Lanka look to have the game to make some special history.
“I think the key is for us to believe in our ability, that’s the most important thing,” Jayawardene said.
“We know exactly what we’re capable of doing and if we can concentrate on that, the result will take care of itself…We need to make sure we are playing top of our game. If we can concentrate on that, I’m sure we can keep putting pressure on the West Indies guys.”
The Windies’s success rate on this ground in recent years will also not inspire them with confidence.
Gayle’s debut Test match against Zimbabwe in 2000, was the last time the regional side has been victorious at the Oval. India, England, Australia and South Africa have all had joy here since then. To start changing that record around, the home side must do what they failed to do against all of those opponents: bat consistently.
The prospects of achieving that task this time do not appear great.
Only vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan and all rounder Dwayne Bravo managed half-centuries in Guyana, Bravo’s second innings 83 coming as an opener.
Gayle’s vulnerability against Vaas that prompted the switch with Bravo, has created even more uncertainty at the top of the order. Sewnarine Chattergoon, recovered from the viral infection that kept him sidelined in the First Test as evidenced by his 98 against the Windward Islands on Tuesday, should make his belated Test debut in place of the ineffective left-hander Devon Smith. But who will be his partner?
Gayle had said after the Guyana loss that it would not be Bravo.
But yesterday, he didn’t confirm his own return to the top spot.
“I’m going to assess tomorrow and then basically take it from there….The balance has got to be right.”
Who Gayle also needs to be right is Marlon Samuels.
In the First Test, Samuels was nowhere near the resolute No.4 he was on the tour of South Africa.
But yesterday, the skipper went to bat for his teammate who is facing misconduct charges stemming from his relationship with an Indian bookmaker.
“He’s good man. He’s hitting the ball well in the nets today…He’s looking forward to it,” said Gayle.
The skipper will hope his confidence in Samuels is not misplaced and that the self belief, so much a part of his own game, transfers itself, as in South Africa, to his men at the Oval.
Important history may be decided by it.
Teams:WEST INDIES from – Chris Gayle (Capt), Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Sulieman Benn, Amit Jaggernauth, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards.
SRI LANKA – Mahela Jaywardene (Capt), Michael Vandort, Malinda Warnapura, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakeratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Rangana Herath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chamara Silva, Thilan Thushara, Ishara Amerasinghe Nuwan Kulasekera, Chanaka Welegedera.
Umpires: Billy Bowden, Simon Taufel. TV replays: Clyde Duncan.
