BRAVO
AUCKLAND, New Zealand CMC:
IN THE wake of his consistent performances with the bat on the tour of Australia last November, Dwayne Bravo may play as a specialist batsman in the West Indies final 11 for the opening Test against New Zealand beginning on Thursday (tomorrow evening Caribbean time) at Eden Park.
"He can't bowl at this stage, but his form in Australia warrants that he will certainly be considered as a batter, probably at number six," said head coach Bennett King yesterday afternoon before the West Indies squad had their first full training session since defeating the Black Caps in the final One-Day International on Saturday night.
Given that the all-rounder has not fully recovered from the side strain sustained in the tour-opening Twenty-20 International at the same venue, playing the 22-year-old as a batsman ahead of either Runako Morton or Dwayne Smith may appear to be a calculated risk.
However, it is one that King seems prepared to take because Bravo adds value to the team in many ways.
"His fielding is such that it actually lifts our side," the Queenslander explained. "If he can make the side purely as a batsman, it's going to strengthen the West Indies side. I'll acknowledge that it could affect the entire balance of the team, but we're taking all of that into account."
GAYLE WORRY
With three of the five specialist bowlers in the 15-man squad having a combined five Tests among them, the burden will again be on the much more experienced batting line-up - spearheaded by Brian Lara - to put competitive totals on the scoreboard.
However, the poor form of senior opener Chris Gayle, who has managed just 61 runs in six innings on the tour so far, is a real worry.
"We're certainly going to be working a lot harder with Chris," King acknowledged.
"What works for him in the Caribbean doesn't always work in other places. As a cricketer you have to be able to adjust. You should never be satisfied with where you are, and I believe that West Indies have been guilty of being satisfied with where they've been for too long."
