“West Indies face another whitewash.” That is common view as the Caribbean side prepares to take on England from today at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Many cricket pundits anticipate that the three-test series will result in a lopsided victory for the visitors.
In putting to bed any arguments against that notion, notwithstanding the possibility of upsets, tune your attention to two factual references.
One, England is ranked third in the world behind India and South Africa while the host is meekly resting five places lower, one rating point higher than Bangladesh, the ninth-ranked test playing nation in the world.
That perhaps is not as daunting as the other reality which suggests that on current team form, England is the undoubted favourite following their historic 3-0 away series win over Sri Lank on their recent subcontinent tour while the Windies suffered heavy defeats against India and Bangladesh just recently.
Can the Caribbean side spring a few surprises against a complacent England side? History would suggest they can.
Judging from the last time the two sides engaged each other in a test match series two years ago which England won 2-1, Windies should be backing themselves on home turf. The lone win for West Indies in that series signified in many ways the coming of age of Shai Hope who recorded twin centuries (147 and 118) at Headingley in what was deemed an incredible upset.
Vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite – 134 and 95 – was also instrumental in the five-wicket win which squared the series after Windies completed a memorable 322-run chase.
Against that backdrop, Hope, as anyone can imagine, will have to play a central role during the series for at least two matches, for the West Indies to have a realistic sniff at a victory. He would need to better his Headingley performances and produce a series where his tally at the end of it all, is better than Joe Root’s and Jonny Bairstow’s.
Then there is Brathwaite, the other Headingley hero. His unusually ordinary form of late needs a surgical uplifting, after his failings against India and Bangladesh. A return to form for him is needed to bolster the host chances.
His expected opening partner John Campbell – in his debut match – will have to adapt and embrace performances better than what his first-class average of 30 suggests.
Their role of muting a new ball examination expected to be presented by James Anderson, Stuart Broad – if he plays and or Chris Woakes, will determine the potency of the middle order comprising the returning Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich and Jason Holder to fare off threats from spinners Moeen Ali and Jack Leach.
Simply put, it is no easy task.
The bowlers, on the other hand, you would feel are equally up against it. Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, Holder and Jomel Warrican would need to exercise patience and operate in partnership to unsettle the Poms.
Like everything else, they are not entirely out of it even though England’s batting is much more reassuring.
Nonetheless, they are cracks. The opening combination of Rory Burns – barely making his way – and Keaton Jennings who scored a century in Sri Lanka to salvage his career provides a breach which can expose England’s middle order to the low and slow surfaces in the region.
Finally, the host would need to find a way to quell the Ben Stokes effect. His match-winning ability with both ball and bat can tilt a game hanging in the balance, England’s way.
Possible West Indies XI: Braithwaite, Campbell, Hope, Bravo, Chase, Hetmyer, Holder (c), Dowrich, Roach, Warrican, Gabriel.
