Bristol-It is far too early to pessimistically proclaim an end to theWest Indies revival under Jimmy Adams and the new management team
Tony Cozier07-Jul-2000Bristol-It is far too early to pessimistically proclaim an end to theWest Indies revival under Jimmy Adams and the new management team.But there were disturbing throwbacks to New Zealand and otherignominious overseas campaigns in a stunning defeat against Zimbabwehere yesterday.The final, uncharacteristic gesture of Adams himself was instructive.With Zimbabwe requiring one run to beat the West Indies for the firsttime in any match, Test or One-Day International, and by thecommanding margin of six wickets and five overs, the captain took theball and speared a leg-side wide.He then strode from the field, ahead of his chastened players, with alook of fire in his eyes.They had batted and bowled inconsistently and without cricketingcommon sense and bowled shockingly.They deserved such humiliation in the first match in the firsttriangular series in England since England, Australia and South Africacontested Tests in 1912 and the first under floodlights.They simply had no game plan against opponents who did and who stuckrigidly to it.Batting first on a warm, sunny, sultry day, more Bridgetown thanBristol, the West Indies could only raise 232 for seven wickets fromtheir 50 overs.As they raised their 50 in the tenth over, there was seldom any doubtthat the underrated Zimbabweans would achieve their target.There was an inevitability that West Indians have suffered too manytimes in the past not to be able to recognise.Neil Johnson, back to the form that made him one of the leadingplayers in last season’s World Cup and that he lacked recently in theCaribbean, was the backbone of the Zimbabwean innings.The left-hander batted from first ball to last 95 off 129 balls withnine fours, the obvious Man Of The Match.The left-handed Johnson gained critical support from Murray Goodwin,with a run-a-ball 23, and in successive partnerships with the Flowerbrothers.Captain Andy made 42 off 59 balls in adding 70 for the fourth wicketand Grant was unbeaten 26 when the end came with their stand worth 73off ten overs.Considered the weaklings in the tournament, the Zimbabweans servedearly warning that they do not intend to return to their troubledcountry with nothing to show from what has been a long and fruitlesssojourn overseas, starting in the Caribbean where they lost both Testsand all four One-Day Internationals in March and here when they werehumiliated in their first much anticipated Test against England inMay.England will find them confident opponents in their opening match atthe Oval tomorrow.Their triumph was the product of typically efficient cricket againstopponents who paid the price for their overall inconsistency andcomplacency and who patently missed the class and influence of CurtlyAmbrose and Courtney Walsh.Ambrose was relaxing back in Antigua in readiness for the resumptionof the Test series, and Walsh was given the day off after hisexertions in the two Tests to catch up with old friends at the groundhe called home for 14 seasons.It was a chance for their support staff to show their mettle and theyfluffed the examination by serving up foolishness.It was the second blow to West Indian morale after their defeat in thesecond Test at Lord’s last Sunday and presents a challenge to Adamsand his management team to lift spirits in time for their next match,against England, also at Lord’s on Sunday.Batting first when the natural sunlight was supplemented by the lightsthat shone throughout the match from the temporary pylons, the WestIndies’ total was at least 20 runs short of what appeared likely earlyon.The tall left-handers Chris Gayle, 41, and Wavell Hinds, 51, built theplatform for a commanding total with a stand of 68 for the secondwicket.Brian Lara, even if not at his most destructive, hit 60 off 63 ballsand, with the explosive Ricardo Powell, put on 56 off 43 balls for thefourth wicket.Gayle and Hinds, confined to 17 consecutive singles at one stage, weregradually rebuilding the innings after Adrian Griffith’s soft earlydismissal to a catch to mid-off when Gayle was run out.He and Hinds put on 68 in 17 overs when they found themselves parkedin the same crease after confused communications over a single intothe covers.Hinds passed his 50, raised a further 34 with Lara and then needlesslyhoisted Grant Flower into long-off’s lap immediately after passing hishalf-century.Powell arrived for his first innings on tour to provide the momentumthe innings needed with 36 off 23 balls.One of his five fours was one of the fiercest and most perfect ondrives I can recall, off Dirk Viljoen’s left-arm spin, but he oncemore revealed his naivity by trying to clear long-off for a second sixoff medium-pacer Gary Brent after belting the previous ball straightfor his first.Erratic shot selection has kept Powell out of the touring squad properand confined him to the shorter version of the game.He is a clean, powerful hitter who has now hit 38 sixes in his 28 One-Day Internationals but he is short-changing the team with cameo 20sand 30s.After Powell’s dismissal, Lara threatened to decimate the Zimbabweansover the final six overs.There was the occasional stroke that was vintage Lara but he frettedover his lack of timing until two exquisite coverdriven fours and astraight six off Brent brought the crowd to its feet and hinted atsomething more.It was a brief interlude. In the next over, he chipped a gentle catchto mid-off off Grant Flower and there was no one else to take up theslack as the last two overs yielded only six.Ignoring the Zimbabwean example that exploited a sluggish pitch withnagging medium-pace and the left-arm spin of Viljoen and Grant Flower,the West Indies fast bowlers seemed intent on outdoing each other onthe speed gun.Reon King, Franklyn Rose and Nixon McLean consistently revved up tobetween 85 and 90 mph but were punished for being too short and toowide.King was cracked for four fours in nine overs, Rose for six in ten andMcLean five and a huge straight six by Grant Flower.It was painful watching to West Indian eyes. No wonder Brian Lara andSir Viv Richards are beseeching Ambrose and Walsh to keep going.Only Mervyn Dillon, specifically and only brought in for thetriangular series, managed the necessary control. But even he waveredas the result became obvious.Chris Gayle’s off-spin was ineffective at damage limitation as any andAdams surely should have bowled himself more than his solitary wide.But this was the time for questions to be asked and answered. Theywere not satisfactory.