HOME AND away, West Indian cricket is getting real proof regarding its low Test ranking by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Between late May and early June, the West Indies lost two Tests against world-number-one Australia - at Sabina Park here by 95 runs and Barbados' Kensington Oval by 87 runs, respectively. On each occasion, the number-eight-ranked Windies had worked their way into a winning position, or could have even opted for a draw as both went down to the final day.
Set to lose
Away, in the first Test against number-four-ranked England, which ended on Monday, South Africa appeared set to lose after England, batting first, made a mammoth 593 for eight. However, number two ranked South Africa were blown away for 247 in a single day and were asked to follow on with a hefty 346-run deficit.
This was a totally different scenario, one that, when balanced against the Windies losses, really mirrors the stark difference between the teams.
Actually, given the totals and timeframe of the second innings positions, the West Indies would have been favoured to win or draw against Australia, as opposed to South Africa drawing the Test against England.
What South Africa did, however, is a solid reflection of the capabilities of really good teams and how they respond in pressure situations.
The South Africans can be quite aggressive, none more so than their captain, Graeme Smith. However, in one entire day's cricket on a flat wicket, the South Africans scored only 229 runs, as England went almost wicketless.
Only 54 runs were accumulated in the first session, 74 between lunch and tea and 101 in the third and final phase where England got the wicket of Smith, for 107, following an invaluable first-wicket stand of 204. Significantly, that was the seventh occasion out of 10 for South Africa, that Smith led from the front to be involved in a 200-plus opening partnership.
Frustrated England
Importantly, for South Africa, it did not end there as Hashim Amla joined Smith and further frustrated England with a 125-run partnership before McKenzie was dismissed for 138 after lunch. Amla, in 344 minutes and 242 balls, went on to finish unbeaten on 104 when stumps were drawn in the final session of the last day with his team 47 runs ahead.
McKenzie, in an interview with Associated Press that was reprinted in The Gleaner yesterday, said: "When we went out to bat on Saturday night, I'd made up my mind to bat for time.
"I normally like to keep the scoreboard ticking, so it was a completely different role for me. But it had to be done ... even though the crowd was a bit frustrated."
This is the sort of resolve that must be shown by the West Indies team, which has been talked about as improving, as it continues to lose close matches that may even have ended in draws with some resolute batting.
At Sabina in May, Australia scored 431, WI replied with 312, Australia then made 167, setting the hosts a victory target of 287, from tea time on the fourth day, with a full fifth day remaining. They were bowled out for 191.
In Bridgetown, the WI dismissed Australia for 251, replied with 216, then Australia made 439, setting the Windies 475 to win. At the end of the first day, the hosts batted on to 235 for three, extended their overnight position with as many wickets to 303, before collapsing to 387.
Fourth-fastest century
Only Shivnarine Chanderpaul, not only in this series, but many others past - seemingly forever - has demonstrated the qualities to suggest that he knows what Test cricket is about. Shiv has also made the fourth-fastest century in Test cricket, hammering 100 off Australia in just 67 balls at Bourda, Guyana, in the 2002-03 series, so it's not like he can't score fast.
The general temperament, though, is just not right and the WI selectors, who incidentally are now being selected, need to keep an eye for the few who are so inclined and challenge them to prove whether they have the game for Test level. Any good team needs a few.
In the days when WI cricket was strong, a feature of its great openers, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, was their ability to fashion their game for Test and ODI cricket. That is lacking among the batsmen now.
In an interview posted on Caribbeancricket.com after the 2-0 Test and 5-0 one-day international whitewash against Australia, the West Indies coach, Australian John Dyson, made some interesting comments.
He said: "The first step is for the players to embrace the concept that we need to change some things about our game. Up until now, I don't think a lot of them have.
Play the West Indies way
"We play the West Indies way. We bowl aggressively. We bat aggressively. We field aggressively.
"When you analyse what all that means, you start to realise that every now and then, you win doing that; but against the better sides that approach it more clinically, it's not going to happen," noted Dyson.
I'd want to bet he'll try his best to change that approach, which often creates the disparity in the ICC rankings. It may just work.
